


The Old Guard Movie Transcript

by StarWatcher



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Gen, transcript
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 12:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25969417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWatcher/pseuds/StarWatcher
Summary: Expanded Transcript.  Dialogue provided by Netflix.  Description -- all the actions and reactions -- provided by StarWatcher. A gift to Fandom -- I hope you'll find it a useful resource.
Comments: 56
Kudos: 72
Collections: The Old Guard Resources





	The Old Guard Movie Transcript

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't produce this transcript alone. My most heartfelt thanks to the people who helped me with the technical aspects, and/or subjects of which I have insufficient knowledge. Especially, Castalie gave me the French and Italian phrases (and translations) where the transcript said only, ‘Booker speaks French’, or ‘Nicky speaks Italian’. Bah! Also, Raine gave me invaluable information about weapons, the plane, and the training Nile has as a U.S Marine, and Lyssie cleared up a not-really-very-tricky plot point that completely eluded me. I felt so dumb, and appreciate her graciously answering such an obvious question. And brand new thanks to Garonne, who gave me the words and translation of the song that plays as Andy and Booker go to meet Copley. Even newer thanks to Tenderly_wicked, who gave me the Russian phrase Andy told the pilot, and to Purpleperdi, who pointed out that I made some incorrect assumptions about Nicky’s sniper scene. That’s fixed, now.
> 
> **Update:** Oct. 8, 2020 -- Edited to fix the "entering the car" scene after Nile's fall from Merrick's penthouse.
> 
> **Update:** Dec. 10, 2020 (because of a question in comments on another work): Yes, I intend this work as a fandom resource. You may use it however you wish -- saved as reference, or written as quoted passages, in your own works. (Or other methods that I'm not aware of; have fun.) Attribution is nice (although I may be a bit flustered), but not necessary.

_[Shell casings clatter to the floor, followed by an empty magazine, land around a pair of booted feet.]_  
_[Camera pans to bodies prone on floor, eyes staring and faces spattered with blood.]_

_[Booker in knitted cap, face partially concealed by the rifle in his left fist.]_  
**Andy voiceover:**  
I’ve been here before...  
_[Joe’s face, wearing a backwards ball-cap.]_  
over and over again,  
_[Nicky’s face, hoodie covering hair.]_  
and each time the same question.  
_[Andy’s face.]_ _[Sound of footsteps approaching.]_  
Is this it? Will this time be the one?  
_[Booted foot stops next to her body.]_  
And each time the same answer. And I’m just so tired of it. 

THE OLD GUARD appears on screen as music plays 

Lyrics: We were born alone, And we die, Alone.  
On our way, To call, Now I’m on my own  
But I’m not safe... No, no, no...

_[Andy, wearing sunglasses against the bright light, strides through a narrow passageway with a backpack over her right shoulder, walking into diffuse sunlight at the end of the passageway, continuing through several turns, in and out of covered passages and sunlight again.]_

_[MOROCCO appears on screen.]_

_[A motorbike engine revs and tires squeal as Booker rides away from the viewer, unbuttoned over-shirt loose and flapping in the airstream as he guides the bike into a narrow passageway. Booker bends over the handlebars as he revs the engine again, into another passageway then out into sunlight. He passes two women walking, who move closer to wall to give him room.]_

_[Booker approaches Andy from the rear; he speeds past her, makes a sharp u-turn. Brakes screech as he stops the bike facing her. She stops walking and stares at him without expression. Booker looks back through his sunglasses, equally without expression.]_

_[His mouth twitches at left corner in a tiny smile; she shakes head slightly as her mouth twitches in a slightly bigger smile, then looks over her right shoulder to the empty street behind. Andy faces him again and approaches him with her smile growing... but still not wide, by any definition.]_

**Booker:** You good? 

**Andy:** Yeah. 

**Booker:** Yeah? _[Moves bike against wall, pulls duffel-bag from its perch on handlebars, slings it over his head to hang from his right shoulder, moves to walk beside her.]_ You travel? 

**Andy:** I did. _[Andy unslings her knapsack, zips it open, reaches inside, pulls out a thick book, holds it in front of Booker.]_ And I got you something. 

_[They continue conversation as they walk side-by-side down the street.]_

**Booker:** What’s that? _[takes book and turns it to read the spine.]_ Ooh, first edition Don Quixote. 

**Andy:** Mm-hm. 

**Booker:** That couldn’t have been cheap. 

**Andy:** It wasn’t. So why am I here, Booker? _[Turns, looks over left shoulder to check the street behind them.]_

**Booker:** You remember Surabaya eight years ago, right? 

**Andy:** CIA. 

**Booker:** Yeah. The guy who hired us, James Copley, reached out. He’s freelance now. He has a hostage situation in South Sudan. 

_[Their walking slows and stops. Andy turns to face Booker directly.]_

**Andy:** No, Booker. We don’t do repeats. You know that. It’s too risky.

**Booker:** _[tilts his head, raises eyebrows, stares calmly at her.]_ Andy.

_[Andy sighs, turns partly away, then back to Booker.]_

**Andy:** Joe and Nicky?

**Booker:** At the hotel.

_[Andy shakes head slightly, turns and leads the way down the street. Booker gives her a beat, then follows.]_

3:03 minutes

_[Back view: Booker leads, Andy follows, as they walk past columns of a portico into a combination courtyard/hotel lobby. Booker heads toward the front desk as Andy continues farther.]_

**Clerk:** Come back again. 

**Guest leaving:** Thank you very much.

_[Booker stops in front of desk.]_

**Clerk:** Welcome to El Fenn, sir. 

**Booker:** Bonjour. (Hello.)

**Clerk:** Checking in?

**Booker:** Oui, s’il-vous-plaît. (Yes, please.)

**Clerk:** Qu’est-ce qui vous amène à Marrakech? (What brings you to Marrakesh?)

**Booker:** La famille. _[smiles tightly, insincerely.]_ (The family.)

_[Andy’s attention is drawn to large screen on wall showing “Breaking News”. She watches scenes of ‘Ongoing Crisis in Syria - 20 children killed, 100s injured’ and ‘Unrest in Haiti, 1 dead, 35 injured in second day of protests’. We hear a woman’s voice behind her.]_

**Tourist:** Everyone say, “Marrakesh!”

_[Camera pans out. To Andy’s side and slightly behind is a group of four women closely hugging and posing. One holds a smartphone for a selfie; its angle will catch Andy’s image.]_

**Tourists:** Marrakesh!

_[Andy turns, sees the phone and turns her face away, but too late; the camera shutter clicks. She walks toward group and extends her hand toward the phone.]_

**Andy:** Would you like me to take one for you? 

**Tourist:** Oh, thank you so much. I just really suck at taking selfies.

_[Andy takes phone, quickly scrolls to see that the most recent picture does show her face. She deletes it, then raises the phone and takes the group picture.]_

**Andy:** There you go. _[returns the phone with a slight smile.]_

**Tourists:** Thank you!

_[Andy and Booker walk through courtyard -- Andy slightly behind and to Booker’s right -- toward a pair of wooden double doors with different sizes of colored and clear glass panes inset. The doors begin to open.]_

**Booker:** Allora. 

_[Nicky holds the door from inside; Joe is some distance behind him, looking over his shoulder. As soon as Nicky sees Andy, a smile lights his face. Andy steps forward as his arms open; they share a close, heartfelt hug.]_

**Andy:** Mmm. 

_[As the hug ends and they separate, Andy chuckles while stroking her hand down the back of Nicky’s head and nape of his neck, then claps him on the shoulder.]_

_[She turns to Joe, who’s still standing a short distance into the room, waiting his turn. He steps forward into her open arms. Nicky stands close, still smiling at the reunion. As Andy hugs Joe, he grabs her around the waist, lifts her and spins with her in his arms while growling playfully. She laughs happily.]_

_[Booker closes the doors, with his back to the happy reunion. His head is bowed; he seems sad rather than happy.]_

**Joe:** _[puts her down but still holds her as he smiles. Her hands remain on his shoulders.]_ You look great.

**Andy:** You look okay. 

**Joe:** _[laughs and turns to escort her into the room.]_ Thank you! Thank you! 

_[We see a small, low table in the lounge area/living room. Nicky’s hands pour coffee/tea from an orange teapot, Booker’s hand adds a dollop from his silver hip flask to one of the cups, then he sits on the couch behind him and drinks from the flask. Andy’s hands drop her sunglasses and passport (?) on the table. Nicky’s hand sets down the teapot and picks up a small, paper-wrapped package from the tea tray.]_

_[Camera pans out. Joe is sitting in an easy chair to screen left, leaning back with his hands behind his head; the couch is center back, against the wall. Nicky walks around the table toward Andy, sitting on couch to Booker’s left; her elbows rest on her knees as she watches Nicky approach.]_

**Nicky:** _[stands in front of her.]_ And I have something for you. _[He holds out the small package.]_

**Andy:** Nicky! _[Takes it with a smile and a small chuckle, holds it to her nose. Her eyes close as she sniffs deeply.]_ Mmm! _[Booker chuckles and Nicky smiles at her reaction.]_ Baklava. 

**Nicky:** _[casually, without looking at him.]_ Five hundred, Booker. _[Pulls money from his wallet.]_

**Andy:** No.

_[Joe watches from his chair, hands still behind head, chuckling.]_

**Booker:** All right. _[Pulls out his wallet, starts counting money.]_ All in. Here it is. 

**Andy:** Really? 

**Nicky:** All in! 

**Joe:** All in! _[Three groups of folded bills are thrown onto the table, one on top of another.]_

_[Booker clears throat as Andy unwraps the paper and pulls out a flaky pastry. A look of bliss crosses her face as she takes a bite, then smiles up toward Nicky.]_

**Andy:** Mmm! Mm! _[Nicky watches closely, Joe leans back in his chair, relaxed, watches with more amusement.]_  
Hazelnut, not walnut.  
_[Nicky nods in confirmation.]_  
The Black Sea.  
_[Booker’s hand is raised to Andy's side, with two fingers up. Nicky blinks cautiously.]_  
Rosewater.  
_[Booker raises a third finger, and blows air in amazement. Andy leans back and closes her eyes to savor the taste. Joe gives a long whistle.]_  
Pomegranate.  
_[She throws her head back, reveling in the flavor.]_  
Mmm!  
_[She raises her head and gives Nicky a triumphant smile.]_  
Eastern Turkey. 

**Booker:** _[on a howling note.]_ Ow! 

_[Nicky turns away with a delighted smile. Joe bends forward with uproarious laughter.]_

**Booker:** _[reaches for the money as he speaks through his laughter.]_ Grazie mille, Nicky, veramente. Sei molto gentile. (A thousand thanks, Nicky, truly. You’re very kind.)

**Joe:** Santa Maria, Madre di Dio. _[He leans back and crosses his hands behind his head again.]_ (Holy Mary, Mother of God.)

**Nicky:** _[waves away the words]_ Prego, prego, prego. (Don’t mention it.)

**Joe:** No, no, no. Don’t worry. 

_[Andy laughs with delight, licks the crumbs from her fingers as Booker relaxes with satisfaction. Nicky plops into a chair and swipes his hands over his face.]_

**Joe:** _[points a finger]_ Admit it, Boss. You missed us. 

**Andy:** _[nods as she looks at Joe and Nicky]_ I did. 

**Booker:** _[takes a deep breath]_ It’s a job, guys. 

**Nicky:** _[observes Andy calmly]_ We can do some good. 

**Andy:** _[looks down, face shows tension]_  
Have you been watching the news lately?  
_[Looks up, shakes head slightly, looks down again.]_  
Some good means nothing.  
_[Stands, glances at them, turns away.]_  
I don’t know about this, guys. We’re not helping.  
_[Crosses to open window, rests arm against side edge, looks out.]_

**Joe:** _[calmly]_ I know you needed a break, but it’s been over a year, Boss. 

**Nicky:** _[quietly confident]_ This is what we do, Andy.

_[Andy fidgets with her fingers, turns to look at them. Booker gives her a subdued nod; he agrees with the others.]_

**Andy:** _[turns back to the window, pauses as her face firms.]_ I’ll hear him out. 

6:00 minutes

_[Aerial view of city. Thunder rumbles. Music plays. Ground view of crowded streets, cars and people, canopies and umbrellas raised for shade.]_

“Keep This Between Us” by Krtas Nssa begins playing  
Ça marche, bizarre, toujours, fidèle  
Ça passe, tequila, toujours, fidèle  
Ça marche mais bizarre  
T'inquiètes je suis bourrée  
Aime moi aime moi, aime moi t’es pour moi

It's okay, weird, always, faithful  
It fits, tequila, always, faithful  
It's okay, but weird  
Don't worry, I'm drunk  
Love me, love me, love me, you're for me

_[Booker strides through the crowds, Andy follows. Both wear sunglasses to help hide the careful observations they make of the people around them.]_

_[They approach a black man sitting at an outdoor table, under an umbrella. The man smiles as he sees them near, stands as they reach him.]_

**Booker:** Mr. Copley. _[they shake hands.]_

**Copley:** _[speaks with slight British accent.]_ Mr. Booker, bonjour. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.

**Andy:** _[shaking his hand.]_ Last time I checked, you had to be American to be in the CIA.

**Copley:** _[laughs as they all sit.]_ I was born in Boston. Moved to London when I was three.

**Andy:** So why did you leave the agency, Mr. Copley?

**Copley:** My wife got sick. ALS. She died two years ago. Just haven’t found my way back yet.

**Andy:** Sorry for your loss.

**Copley:** Thank you. _[Tilts his head, raises a hand.]_ You haven’t aged a day, Booker.

**Booker:** Trust me, I have.

**Copley:** _[laughs]_ Yeah.

_[Booker slouches in his seat through the conversation, watching while Copley makes his case and Andy remains carefully noncommittal.]_

**Copley:** _[A folded newspaper is on the table. He pushes it toward Booker. A tablet with active screen is visible under the paper.]_  
Yesterday afternoon local, a school southwest of Juba was attacked by a militia. They murdered the teachers and abducted seventeen of the students at gunpoint.  
_[Booker turns the newspaper toward Andy.]_  
The youngest was eight... oldest, thirteen.  
_[Andy turns head slightly to stare at paper, then looks up and out.]_  
_[We’re looking at the group through the crosshairs of a rifle scope.]_  
South Sudanese asked the U.S for help, but current administration’s policy is to deny aid to any nonstrategic allies.  
_[Camera pans up the rifle barrel to show Nicky keeping steady aim on Copley. Then into the room to show Joe listening to headphones, adjusting volume on the equipment.]_  
_[Copley turns to Andy, speaks earnestly, trying to convince her.]_  
Some of my ex colleagues at the CIA feel differently. They reached out to me, and I’m reaching out to you.  
_[Andy picks up the tablet, starts scrolling through the information.]_  
The last overfly confirmed the personnel on site.  
_[Final picture is a group of smiling, very young black girls in front of a school.]_  
No food or water being brought in.

**Andy:** _[drops newspaper over tablet.]_ That means they’re moving them soon.

**Copley:** _[nods]_ And when they do, most likely they’ll be separated, and odds are we’ll never find them again. Has to be done quickly... by the best, and your team’s the best I’ve ever seen. You can name your price.

_[Andy pushes her chair back and stands, stares at Copley, then Booker. Booker looks up at her, seems about to speak, waits. Andy pauses, turns away, hesitates, turns back.]_

**Andy:** We’ll invoice you when it’s done. _[She strides away. Booker rises, grabs paper and tablet, and follows Andy.]_

_[View through rifle scope. Copley looks right at the window, tilts his head with a smile, and waves. Nicky laughs softly.]_

8:27 minutes

_[View of helicopter flying against a sun-seared sky, flying over barren landscape.]_

_[Andy with sunglasses, in rear right seat, pack in her lap, handle of labrys rising over her shoulder from behind. Looks out window, to a brown, rocky land with occasional green trees. Booker to her left, wears a dark, knitted cap pulled down to his ears. He has a kitchen cutting-board (?) in his lap, holding blocks of plastic explosive that he’s forming to different sizes.]_

_[Camera pans up past a sheathed sword. As the hilt comes into view, it is strapped to Nicky’s left hip. Nicky sits in left middle seat, Joe to his right. Nicky wears a dark hoodie pulled over his head and hanging low over his face; his head is bowed and the butt-end of some large rifle (?) rises in front of him, silhouetted against the window. Joe wears sunglasses and a dark ball-cap turned backwards. He seems calm, chewing gum.]_

_[View of helicopter from above, flying over a terrain of broken hills and gullies, dotted by widely-spaced trees.]_

_[Pilot looks back and raises 3 fingers. Joe raises 3 in confirmation, looks back to check that Andy saw; she nods. Nicky looks to Joe, who nods and smiles, turns to look out window. Andy reaches up to hold something solid in preparation for landing.]_

_[Helicopter lands, Nicky slides door open, Andy jumps out, followed by Booker, Joe -- with handle of scimitar rising above his shoulder -- and Nicky. They wait for the helicopter to lift off, turn, start walking away from camera. They all carry equipment packs of some sort. Nicky has pulled part of the hoodie (?) over his lower face, and carries the large rifle over his right shoulder. The men fall in behind Andy -- Booker, Joe, Nicky.]_

_[SOUTH SUDAN appears on screen.]_

_[The walk seems long. Shot of them walking on a hilltop against the sky, still in single-file. A similar shot, more distant. Shot of them walking through a gulley.]_

_[People come into view. A woman walking with a large basket balanced on her head, her daughter beside her. Another woman with a large yellow container on her head. A man.]_

_[Andy walks into the shot, turns to look behind, keeps walking. Booker follows, now wearing sunglasses, carrying a rifle in his arms. Joe follows, also with a rifle in his arms. Nicky follows, also with a rifle, now wearing sunglasses, with his hoodie pushed back to leave his head bare. He speaks as the first woman and girl we saw pass him.]_

**Nicky:** _[in Nuer]_ Peace be with you.

_[As the two groups pass each other, the little girl turns to look back at these strange foreigners. The local group is larger than we first saw -- several men, one urging along a small herd of goats, plus the women and girl. One man carries a large yellow-orange cloth shoulder-bag in front of him, and uses a walking-stick.]_

_[Night. Full moon in the sky. Crickets chirp. Cluster of buildings, crowded close together, with security lights rising above them.]_

_[Man standing guard on raised walkway, watches into the night with binoculars, scans chain-link fence, with barbed wire on top. Another man making rounds passes behind binoculars-man. At that moment, binoculars-guard sees a muzzle-flash beyond the fence, but too late; a high-powered bullet goes through both heads, one after the other. They drop instantly.]_

_[Nicky is prone on the ground, peers through scope of his sniper rifle. Cocks the rifle, catches the shell as it’s ejected. Joe is crouched, looking through night-glasses, turns head sharply, nods that Nicky’s shot went true, turns back to night-glasses. Andy turns head, nods, rises from her crouch and moves out.]_

_[The four of them slightly spread out, silhouetted against the compound as they walk toward it. They reach the fence. Nicky, with hoodie in place, moves forward, rifle ready to fire. Booker uses wire-snips to cut the fence. Joe also has rifle ready at the other side of the group.]_

_[Andy is first through the cut fence; she moves forward, handgun extended. Joe follows, then Nicky and Booker; Joe and Nicky head right, Booker follows Andy. Joe and Nicky slip past a small fire, around the corner of a building, rifles constantly extended, ready to fire. Andy and Booker slip between a building and parked truck, rifles extended and ready.]_

_[Nicky waits against a wall, next to the corner, concealed from two men walking along the other wall of the building. Joe drops from the roof, lands between them, uses his sword to stab one of the men; we hear the blade slicing. Other man starts to cry out, but it never finishes; Joe stabs him, then holds the body against the wall with hand to his throat, takes a second to wipe the blood from his sword on the man's pants, lets him fall. Nicky comes around the corner, tosses handgun to Joe. They move quickly between the buildings.]_

_[Andy comes out of the darkness, shoots two men in the open space beyond. Booker follows, watching her flank.]_

_[All gather from their various points and move toward their target, Andy in the lead. They pass a pile of children’s shoes as they approach a large, apparently thick, wooden door. The others stand watch, poised and ready, as Booker places the explosive at various points on the door. As he waits, Joe stares at the pile of shoes at his feet. Andy reloads her handgun. Booker nods to Joe, all step away and turn their faces. A rather quiet blast destroys the door, and they all run in.]_

_[Down a flight of dark, steep stone stairs, flashlights on their weapons pointing the way. Andy reaches the bottom first, then the men spread out behind her, flash their lights around to reveal a large, completely empty room.]_

**Andy:** What the... _[she shines light on floor with no marks or debris, and barren walls.]_

**Nicky:** _[beside her, rifle ready to fire at any threat.]_ Are we too late?

_[Suddenly a bank of bright lights flash on, to reveal Nicky, Andy, Joe, Booker standing in a line, exposed in a completely barren space with no possible cover, but there are several empty doorways on each side.]_

**Andy:** _[lowers her handgun as realization hits.]_ Motherfuck- 

_[They’re hit with multiple rounds of machine-gun fire as a dozen mercenaries (?) step out of the shadowed doorways. The mercenaries continue firing until their weapons are empty. The immortals jerk repeatedly as the bullets hit; they fall to the ground. The mercenaries -- shadowy, amorphous figures backlit by the spotlights -- wait a moment, machine-guns still aimed, to ensure that their targets are truly dead.]_

_[Shell casings clatter to the floor; opening scene is reprised.]_

**Mercenary:** _[approaches and stares down at the unmoving bodies.]_ Room clear!  
_[Mercenaries lower their weapons and gather at the far end of the room, chatting among themselves and ignoring the bodies.]_

_[Focus on Andy’s face; we see her pupils contract and hear a soft crackling as flesh heals, then she takes a soft breath as her eyes flicker and blink. She gasps a few more breaths.]_

_[Nicky gasps quietly.]_

_[Booker shifts his head, blinks; a bullet extrudes from the skin near his eye and clinks on the floor. He groans quietly.]_

_[Joe’s hand, resting a bare inch away from his rifle, grabs the stock tightly. He groans, winces; a bullet falls out of his forehead. He shifts his eyes upward to assess their enemies silhouetted against the lights.]_

_[Andy brings a hand under her, raises her head, begins to push herself upward. The others do the same.]_

_[As he lifts himself, Joe immediately turns his head to find Nicky, sees him looking back. Nicky nods at him.]_

_[Booker groans quietly as he pushes himself up, but it is heard; the mercenaries turn to see the ‘bodies’ moving.]_

**Merc1:** Oh, my God!

**Merc2:** Shit!

_[As Andy rises, she grabs her pistol from her holster as she sprints forward. The men keep pace, spreading out to engage.]_

**Merc3:** Look out! Reload!

**Merc4:** What the hell?

_[Mercenaries in disarray, shouting warnings to each other and trying to reload. The immortals charge into the group; they need to take out their enemies as quickly as possible.]_

_[Sound of gunfire; impossible to tell from which group.]_

_[Andy closes with a merc, shoves his rifle aside, backhands him with it, shoots him with her pistol. She grabs the merc’s rifle, tosses it into the air; Joe snatches it.]_

_[Nicky (hoodie down) comes beside him before Joe can position the rifle for firing, shoots the merc in front of them with his left hand. Joe also shoots the merc, turns sharply to right to engage another enemy as Nicky draws his sword.]_

_[Booker moves forward, shooting anyone in front of him.]_

_[Andy punches and shoots.]_

_[Nicky is using his sword to cut and slice.]_

_[Joe has drawn his scimitar, also cutting and slicing.]_

_[Nicky uses his sword, but has pistol in left hand, shoots if more effective.]_

_[Andy shoots, clubs merc across face with pistol.]_

_[Booker shoots, punches, goes down to roll, come up and shoot again.]_

_[Andy draws her labrys, strides into the mêlée, swinging it viciously, slashing and cutting. As soon as one man is down, spins to attack another, then another.]_

_[Total chaos -- weapons firing, sound of swords slicing into flesh, grunts of effort as swords or labrys are wielded, cries of pain from the mercs.]_

_[Suddenly it’s over; all the mercs are down, unmoving, only the immortals left standing, only the sound of their panting breaths after such a violent effort.]_

_[They look around, scanning for more danger or enemies.]_

_[They gradually relax, take a deep breath, but remain alert for more trouble.]_

**Andy:** Everyone still with me?

**Booker:** Yeah.

**Nicky:** Sì. Tutto bene. (Yes. All’s well.)

_[Joe groans as he straightens his body.]_  
**Andy:** Joe?

**Joe:** _[spits out a bullet.]_ Very pissed off.

**Nicky:** So where are the girls?

**Andy:** _[looks around, notices a camera mounted on the ceiling. Scans the room, evaluates the information, speaks grimly.]_ There never were any girls. _[Walks toward camera, stares angrily into it.]_ We’ve been set up.

_[Copley sits, watches laptop screen. He runs a hand over his face, has a worried frown.]_

_[On the screen, Andy’s mouth tightens, then she slowly, deliberately -- so the watcher can see her intent -- raises her labrys high to take a vicious swing that destroys the camera. The screen goes dark.]_

_[Copley blinks at the screen, taps a few keys to run a playback. He sees the immortals fall under the first assault, then reaches for his cellphone, scrolls through the screen.]_

**Copley:** _[assuring himself.]_ Yeah, I got it. _[Camera pans out to desk to show Andy glowering from the laptop screen. Larger monitor shows picture of civil war soldiers posed in front of a tent, labeled ‘Nicky, Joe, Andy, Booker?’ at the bottom.]_ Yeah.

16:00 minutes

_[Daytime, outdoors. Legs around a hole in the ground as they dump their ruined clothing into it. A pair of hands uses small collapsible shovel to throw dirt over the lot. Camera pulls back to show Nicky use a cloth to wipe the sweat/dirt from the back of his neck; he tosses it into the hole. Joe wipes his face on the sleeve of his T-shirt. Camera pulls back farther; they are in a desolate area among the hills. Joe and Nicky stand, watch Booker cover the clothing.]_

_[Andy sits on a rock, elbow on knees, head bowed into her hand. She looks the picture of despair. As Booker finishes, Andy raises her head, brushes her hair back from her face. Booker jams the shovel to stand in the ground, takes a deep breath.]_

**Joe:** _[remarking to no one in particular]_ One has to admire Mr. Copley’s attention to detail. Those shoes were a particularly _[slight laugh on the word]_ grotesque touch.

**Andy:** _[in a defeated voice]_ I knew this was gonna happen. I said it.

**Nicky:** We did it right, Andy. For the right reasons.

**Andy:** _[raises her head to him, angry.]_ And what did it get us, Nicky? What? _[Nicky and Joe stare at her; they have no good answer.]_ Nothing. We’ve done nothing. The world isn’t getting any better. It’s getting worse.

**Booker:** _[crouching by the filled hole.]_ I checked him completely, and... everything seemed legit. _[He stands, sounds dejected.]_ I’m sorry, guys.

**Andy:** _[her anger has left; she’s despondent again.]_ They know who we are. They know what we are. _[Nicky, checking their weapons, turns his head to her, concerned.]_ We have to find Copley. _[Nods to herself.]_ We have to tie this thing off.

**Booker:** And then what?

**Andy:** And then nothing. _[Quieter voice, almost speaking to herself.]_ The world can burn for all I care. _[Stands and kicks a few rocks onto the dirt-filled hole. Reaches down, grabs her labrys and backpack.]_ I’m done.

_[She strides away. The men pick up their weapons and packs and follow.]_

17:23 minutes

_[Aerial view, flying over brown, barren landscape, rocky, hilly, broken by gullies and cliffs. AFGHANISTAN appears on screen. Viewpoint crosses a ridge and pans down toward a small town, with buildings the same color as the landscape. Military vehicle drives down a road, past groups of local people in the streets, and children watching. A number of armed US military are patrolling, wearing desert camo.]_

_[Several soldiers are showing a picture to groups of men, women, and children. The local people consistently shake their heads; they haven’t seen that person.]_

_[One soldier squats down, offers candy to a group of children; they snatch it from the soldier’s hands.]_

_[One little boy is on the outskirts of the group, not joining in. The soldier -- a young black woman with a cheerful smile -- stands, motions him forward. The boy hurries toward her and takes the candy she offers.]_

**Soldier:** _[smiles]_ Hm?

**Boy:** _[in Pashto]_ Thank you.

**Soldier:** _[in Pashto, still smiling]_ You’re welcome.

_[The boy turns away as a nearby woman -- Nile’s interpreter, dressed according to local custom, with a bulletproof vest added -- watches with a smile.]_

_[A short distance away, two soldiers are speaking with a pair of older local men. One turns and calls out.]_

**Sergeant:** Freeman, where you at?

**Nile:** Here, Sergeant. _[Stands and goes to him, followed by the interpreter.]_

**Sergeant:** The women are holed up in the house with the arches. Take a right at the building with the red carpet. Get me some information.

**Nile:** _[nods firmly]_ Roger that. _[She turns toward another female soldier speaking with a group of young boys, slaps the top of her helmet twice, sharply. Other soldier leaves the boys and joins Nile. Nile waves over a third female soldier, who joins the group. The four women cautiously approach the designated house, the soldiers watching for danger as they walk.]_

**Nile:** Keep it respectful.

**Jay:** Don’t we always?

**Nile:** _[calmly]_ Never hurts to repeat it.

_[They walk past an outer courtyard (?) with laundry hanging from lines, toward an inner courtyard (?) with several small groups of women sitting and chatting.]_

_[As they are seen, one woman jumps up in apparent alarm, seems to urge the other women up. They gather in one large group and wait tensely.]_

_[Nile lowers her rifle, removes her helmet, places her right hand on her chest, and bows respectfully. She speaks in calm tones.]_

**Nile:** As-Salaam-Alaikum. _[continues in memorized(?) Pashto]_ My name is Nile. I am an American Marine.

_[Nile continues to speak in English, while the intrepeter translates to Pashto.]_

**Nile:** _[displays the picture.]_  
We are looking for this man. _[translation.]_  
He has killed many of our people and many of yours. _[translation.]_  
_[As she speaks, the other two soldiers peer around a few corners, while keeping Nile and the group of women in view.]_  
Have any of you seen him? _[translation.]_  
_[The women listen with sidecast glances, but no overt reaction; some avoid looking at the picture, and all are silent.]_  
You do not disrespect your family by telling us where he is. _[translation.]_

_[One older woman raises her eyes, speaks softly in Pasto.]_  
**Interpreter:** There are no men here. To use women as shields is to be no man at all.

_[Nile tucks the picture into her vest pack. As she looks up, the older woman catches her gaze, deliberately shifts her eyes to a tapestry-covered doorway to Nile's left, then carefully catches Nile’s eyes again.]_

**Nile:** _[takes a deep breath, bows her head.]_ Thank you for allowing us into your home.

_[As the interpreter speaks, Nile puts on her helmet and buckles the chin-strap. She gives sharp hand-gestures to her fellow-soldiers, directing them to the doorway. They lift their rifles and approach it as she joins them.]_

**Interpreter:** _[in Pashto]_ We will leave you in peace.

_[Interpreter silently motions all the women to follow her, to leave the potential battle zone. As the women begin to leave, and Nile’s team is to either side of the door, covering it with rifles raised, a short burst of gunfire comes from within the building, out through the tapestry, which falls to the ground. The women scream, duck, and run.]_

**Nile:** Breach! 

_[Jay steps forward and kicks the door open as Nile and Dizzy cover the door. The door-kicker steps out of the line of fire and Nile leads her team in, rifle ready. The man inside cocks his weapon.]_

**Nile:** Stop!

_[The man starts to raise his weapon. Nile fires two shots. The man goes down. Nile continues inside then pauses, stares at the blood spreading on his shirt as he gasps on the floor.]_

**Nile:** Clear! Covering!

**Jay:** Clear! 

_[Nile picks up the man’s rifle, unloads it, drops it. Kneels next to man, frisks him for more weapons as she speaks on radio.]_

**Nile:** Lima three, this is India five. Contact, over. _[She looks up.]_ Jay, go check on the women. 

**Jay:** On it.

**Dizzy:** _[scanning shelves of bomb-making materials.]_ Look at all this shit. It’s jackpot.

**Nile:** _[fiercely]_ Not if he bleeds out. They wanted him alive, remember? _[She reaches into a pocket, pulls out a package of gauze while keeping pressure on the wound, tears it open with her teeth.]_

**Man:** Do not... Do not touch me.

**Nile:** I’m trying to save you, man. _[She turns her head.]_ Dizzy, a little help, please?

_[While Nile’s head is turned, man pulls a knife from under his body, slices a deep cut into her neck. Blood pours out of the wound as Nile chokes, collapses backward.]_

**Dizzy:** _[turns, sees the damage]_ No! Medic! Man down!  
_[drops to knees beside Nile.]_  
No! Jesus! Medic!  
_[removes Nile’s helmet, tries to apply pressure to the wound. Nile continues gasping and choking as a pool of her blood grows on the floor.]_  
Stay with me! Oh, my... God! Jesus, no. Come here. Stay with me. Look at me. Look at me.  
_[Nile's left hand reflexively grasps Dizzy’s arm, begging for help.]_  
You’re gonna be okay. Nile! Nile!  
_[Nile’s eyes lose focus, her head sags to the side.]_  
You’re okay. It’s okay. Stay with me. Just look at me.  
_[She frantically pumps Nile’s hand, trying to keep her aware. A tear drops from the corner of Nile’s left eye, rolls down the side of her face.]_  
Look at me. Okay. Medic’s on their way. Medic’s on their way. No, no. It’s okay. It’s okay. The medic’s coming!  
_[Nile can no longer see Dizzy; everything fades into a bright haze.]_

21:47 minutes

_[Daytime, flat, scrubby landscape. Train crosses in the distance, sounds its horn.]_

_[Interior of boxcar, mostly empty. The team are at the back half of the car. Andy sits against left wall, arms crossed, trying to keep watch (?), but her eyelids keep drooping.]_

_[Across from her Joe and Nicky lie on their sides, sleeping, Nicky wrapped in Joe’s arms, Joe’s face tucked into the back of Nicky’s neck. ]_

_[Booker is slumped into a corner farther along Andy’s wall, sleeping half sitting up, head and neck at an uncomfortable angle.]_

_[Andy loses her battle to stay awake; eyes close and head drops forward.]_

_[Fuzzy view of helmet lying on a striped rug.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of Nile’s desperate face.]_  
_[Nicky and Joe breathe heavily, twitch in their sleep.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of smiling Afghani boy, sound of laughing.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of Afghani woman, scarf covers her lower face.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of helicopter.]_  
_[Joe’s fingers twitch and spasm on Nicky’s arm.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of nametag on uniform.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of hand (Nile’s?) reaching upward.]_  
_[Booker flinches in his sleep.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of doorway in a stone wall, fades into bright light.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of knife on a rug.]_  
_[Fuzzy view of Nile’s neck being cut, blood falling, Nile beginning to collapse.]_  
_[Andy jerks awake with a gasp.]_  
_[Nicky, Joe, and Booker jolt awake at the same time. All sit up sharply under the impetus of the visions.]_

_[Fuzzy view of the train passing, Booker drinking from his flask, Nicky and Joe sleeping, Andy’s face, burst of water bubbles.]_

_[Nile jolts awake, panting. She has a large white bandage on her neck, wearing a white hospital gown. She looks around suspiciously, is on a hospital bed, alone in a medical tent. She raises her hand to her neck as she hears helicopter overhead. Takes a few deep calming breaths and starts to relax back onto her bed.]_

**Andy:** _[leans forward, runs hands through hair.]_ What the... _[Her face shows confusion and disbelief; she shakes her head.]_

_[Booker uncaps his flask and takes a drink. Nicky brings his hand to his mouth, then stares at it; there is no blood. Joe grabs a small book from his backpack behind him.]_

**Andy:** No. No, not another one. _[Shakes head.]_ Not now.

_[Joe has his book open, pencil poised.]_

**Nicky:** It was a woman. _[Joe turns to him.]_ A black woman. 

**Joe:** _[sketching in the book.]_ I saw an older woman in a hijab. _[He glances at Andy; she’s breathing heavily, looks a little blank. He turns to Booker, eyes urgent; he needs every scrap of information.]_ What did you see? 

**Booker:** I saw... _[gestures with spread fingers to show size.]_ I saw part of a nametag. 

**Joe:** Uh, yeah. Free... free something. _[He turns back to his book.]_

**Booker:** Yeah. _[Leans head against wall, seems disturbed.]_

**Nicky:** _[intense]_ Dirt floor, clay walls.

**Booker:** And a medevac.

**Joe:** Yeah, so maybe a, uh... _[covers face with hand as he tries to hold on to the images/ideas]_ a coalition... a... medical team. _[He adds to the sketch in his book.]_

**Nicky:** The knife was a pesh kabz. Pashtun.

**Booker:** _[groans and rubs his neck where Nile was sliced.]_ I felt her die.

**Andy:** _[stares at nothing straight ahead, voice is remote, detached.]_ She’s a Marine. _[Joe and Nicky look up together.]_ Combat. Or near combat duty. Afghanistan. _[Shakes her head slowly, wearily.]_ It’s been over two hundred years. _[Whispers, anguished, buries head in hands.]_ Why now?

**Nicky:** _[with gentle certainty]_ Everything happens for a reason, Boss.

_[Andy stares at him, disbelieving, huffs, turns her head away.]_

**Joe:** _[firmly]_ We have to find her.

**Booker:** No, we stick to the plan. We find Copley.

**Joe:** So we just leave her out in the open?

**Booker:** _[almost angry]_ No, we’re in the open. We’re the ones who are exposed now.

**Nicky:** Not like her, Booker.

**Booker:** Nicky --

**Nicky:** _[quietly]_ Not like her. You can’t tell me you don’t remember what it was like. _[intensely]_ Whoever she is, she’s confused, and she’s scared, and she’s more alone than she has ever been in her entire life. _[Andy stares at him, her expression a mix of blankness and pain.]_ We all remember what it was like. _[Andy bows her head, shaking it slowly, wearily. Booker turns his head and sighs. Joe continues sketching, producing a recognizable image of Nile.]_ She needs us.

**Andy:** _[kicks the floor in anger, then lunges to her feet.]_ I’ll handle the retrieval. 

**Booker:** Hey, Boss, come on.

**Andy:** _[grabs her backpack, pulls it onto her shoulder.]_ If we’re dreaming about her, she’s dreaming about us. That makes her a beacon straight to us.

**Booker:** What do we do in the meantime?

**Andy:** Get to France. Use the Charlie safe house. I’ll meet you there. _[Joe examines his sketch, blows pencil-dust off it. She stares at Booker.]_ Find Copley. _[Joe tears out the page and hands her the sketch. Andy stares at it.]_ Jesus. She’s just a baby.

_[Andy crosses to the door, slides it open. She looks around at the terrain, then jumps out. The train passes. Andy, a very small silhouette in the vast landscape, strides forward.]_

25:10 minutes

_[Aerial view, helicopter flies over a military base, a few buildings, many tents, all beige-sand colored, like the terrain. Military light utility vehicle (LUV) drives past; pairs and small groups of soldiers casually walk around. Camera moves to ground level to show groups of soldiers coming and going, focuses on two female soldiers walking and talking.]_

**Dizzy:** _[dark hair in a bun]_ _[intensely]_ I know I saw her die.

**Jay:** _[hair shaved very short]_ A little blood can look like a lot. Adrenaline flying, everyone was seeing shit they didn’t.

**Dizzy:** I was holding her neck together in my hands.

**Jay:** _[stops, faces Dizzy directly, speaks firmly.]_ You’d rather we sent her home in a body bag? 

**Dizzy:** _[taken aback]_ No, of course not. 

**Jay:** So come on.

_[Jay moves more purposefully, heads toward the medical tent. Dizzy follows. As they enter, each removes their hat.]_

_[Nile sits on the side of the bed, in uniform, but hunched over herself, fingering her cross necklace, a troubled frown on her face.]_

**Jay:** Hey, look who’s up! 

_[Nile doesn’t react.]_

**Dizzy:** _[cautiously]_ Nile? 

**Nile:** _[straightens slowly, huffs a breath, gives them a hesitant smile.]_ What’s up, Jay? What’s up, Dizzy? 

**Jay:** _[a little swagger, trying to make light of it.]_ So let’s see the trophy. _[She sits casually on the bed across from Nile.]_

_[Nile turns her head, avoiding Jay’s gaze. Dizzy walks slightly closer and stares, disbelieving. Nile fingers her cross necklace and rubs her neck, still avoiding their gaze.]_

**Dizzy:** _[softly, awed]_ Fuck me. 

**Jay:** _[amazed]_ Nile, there’s not even a scratch. 

**Nile:** Yeah. _[huffs]_ They, uh... _[Flips a hand, dismissively.]_ They used this new skin graft or something. _[Bends down to tie her boots.]_

_[Nurse, sitting at a desk about 10 feet away -- easily within hearing distance -- flicks her eyes upward, but makes no other response to that statement.]_

**Dizzy:** _[suspiciously.]_ That what the doctor said? _[Jay casts her a sideways glance.]_

**Nile:** Yeah. _[breathes heavily, then looks up at Dizzy.]_ That’s what they said. _[Nile gives her a challenging look, then stands.]_

_[Dizzy takes a couple of steps back, still staring. Nile notes that reaction; her gaze shifts away. Nile gives a tiny head-bob to Jay, then moves past them toward the doorway. Jay and Dizzy follow.]_

_[Camera pans across floor level as their booted feet exit. Against the wall is a cardboard box of supplies (?) with the name MERRICK stamped on it.]_

26:42 minutes

_[Aerial view of Thames River and London Bridge. LONDON ENGLAND appears on screen. We hear a bombastic voice speaking.]_

**Merrick:** Our average lifespan is seventy-eight in developed nations.  
_[Copley is sitting, watching.]_  
Actually, two more years if you’re lucky enough to be born a female. What can I say, ladies?  
_[He chuckles, audience laughs.]_  
Now, all of this is because of everyone’s favorite love to hate... Big Pharma.  
_[Merrick in front of a blue screen, wears a bluetooth mic, gestures as he speaks.]_  
At my company, our research on telomere extension has reversed the chromosomal clock of human stem cells. Dr. Kozak’s manipulation of the klotho hormone  
_[He points to her; she nods with a small, but smug, smile.]_  
will in time, completely arrest common cognitive decline. Yes, we can all wave goodbye to dementia.  
_[applause]_  
Now wait... wait! Our work will add years of life to the collective world population. Years! Decades!  
_[applause. Copley watches closely.]_  
But it’s not cheap. We need investment. Investment drives my enthusiasm to take risks. These risks improve countless lives.  
_[applause]_

27:40 minutes

_[View of hands holding a tablet. Screen shows the immortals as they rise after they died.]_

**Merrick:** My God.

**Copley:** You’ve seen my research. Now you know they’re for real.

_[Camera pans out. They’re riding in the back of a limo. Merrick lowers the tablet, looks at Copley -- to his right -- then laughs softly. He passes the tablet to Dr. Kozak in the seat across from Copley. Merrick’s security head, Keane, sits next to her; he cranes his neck to see the screen. Kozak raises her eyes to look at Copley.]_

**Merrick:** What about the hard proof? Blood, tissue, bone, DNA. 

**Copley:** Recovering an uncontaminated sample of the site proved impossible. 

**Merrick:** But you promised me hard proof. 

**Copley:** There was an unanticipated amount of carnage. But the footage... 

**Merrick:** No, no. The footage is a two-million-dollar snuff film. It doesn’t give her the how. I need all of them, Copley.

**Copley:** _[Scoffs, leans back, shakes his head.]_ I think I can get you one.

**Merrick:** No. No, not one. All. 

**Copley:** These are extraordinary individuals. They are extremely resistant to capture. 

**Merrick:** Well, consult with Keane, make a plan, make it happen. _[Keane blinks to acknowledge his orders.]_ And quickly, before my competitors get wind of this.

_[Aerial view of limo proceeding down the avenue. Camera pans up the side of a large, impressive, modern building, with the logo MERRICK at the top.]_

29:03 minutes

_[Closeup on Nile’s face. She’s frowning slightly, and breathing heavily. Camera pans out. She’s in an outdoor exercise area, protected against the sun by shade-cloth on poles; soldiers are using barbells and exercise machines. Nile is on a thin floor mat, dressed in olive drab T-shirt and her camo trousers. Her head shifts as she seems to consider an idea, then closes her eyes and resumes doing vigorous sit-ups. At the ‘up’ part of each one, she alternates, throws a strong left or right punch into the air. Soldiers at a nearby exercise machine look at her, turn back to a quiet discussion with each other.]_

**Sergeant:** Corporal Freeman!

**Nile:** _[scrambles to her feet, comes to attention.]_ Aye, Sergeant. 

**Sergeant:** Orders just came through. They’re sending you to Landstuhl, Germany for more tests. 

**Nile:** _[hesitant smile, slight head-shake]_ But I’m fine. 

**Sergeant:** Plane’s fueling. Pack your bags. 

**Nile:** _[blinks]_ Sergeant... 

**Sergeant:** _[pulls dog-tags from pocket.]_ We took these off you when it happened. Didn’t think you were coming back.

_[Hands them to her. Camera pans to Nile’s face, tight and closed-off. She accepts the tags, stares down at the tags in her hand as the sergeant strides off.]_

_[Nile strides into her barracks tent, now wearing her camo jacket. Soldiers are relaxing, chatting together. As they notice Nile, the chatter quiets and stops. Jay and Dizzy are sitting next to each other on a bed, talking. As Nile passes them toward her bed, they stop talking, stop smiling, stare at her. Nile looks around. All her fellow soldiers are quiet, watching her warily, as if she’s dangerous, foreign.]_  
_[Nile looks around at the careful, universal non-reaction before she turns to her bed. Her gear, already packed in a backpack and duffle, lays on top. She turns, stares accusingly at Dizzy and Jay. Dizzy draws back; Jay remains stoic, with no expression. Nile turns back to her things, notices her photo of the three of them in a group hug, smiling at the camera. She recoils, grabs her phone and earbuds, ignores all her other possessions, strides out of the tent, putting on her cap as she exits.]_

_[As she walks quickly, she hears a soldier say, “That’s her.”]_

_[Nile finds an isolated bench between buildings, with no one else in sight, shielded from prying eyes on one side by 3 large metal air-conditioning units (?), on the other by a parked LUV. She sits, tense, nervous, rocking slightly, eyes darting side to side. Fingers trembling, she unwraps and inserts the earbuds, then taps through her phone to access her music. “Godspeed” by Frank Ocean begins playing. Nile leans back against the wall, takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, tries to calm herself as she listens to the music.]_

_[Andy moves stealthily beside the wall just around the corner, pauses to observe Nile.]_

**Soldier:** Corporal Freeman. _[Two MPs, walking together, approach from opposite direction. Andy pulls back, waits. Nile pulls out her earbuds, stands.]_ Been looking for you. Wheels up on your ride.

_[Andy slides around the corner, right hand karate-chops one soldier on side of neck so he goes down. As her arm rebounds, grabs the gun-hand of the other soldier with her right hand, yanks him across her body, grabs him by the neck with left hand, spins him around and cracks his head on the edge if the metal air-conditioning unit. Nile grabs the soldier’s dropped pistol, aims at Andy. Andy brings both hands up, right slaps the pistol from Nile's hand while left grabs it, and aims at Nile’s face with her finger on the trigger. Nile stares, stunned.]_

**Nile:** Who are you? 

**Andy:** Andromache the Scythian. _[She uses the pistol to club Nile on the side of the neck; Nile drops, unconscious. Andy looks around; they’re still unobserved.]_ But you can call me Andy.

31:20 minutes

_[Aerial view over dry, barren landscape -- sand and rock, no greenery anywhere. Camera pans forward to show the LUV traveling fast, dust kicked up by the tires spewing behind. Camera closes in to see Andy driving, apparently relaxed -- left elbow on the open window frame, right hand on the steering wheel. Andy brings left hand forward to hold the steering wheel, reaches with right hand to grab a piece of baklava from an open package resting on the dashboard. She takes a big bite.]_

_[Nile is lying in the back of the vehicle, where Andy apparently dropped her, still unconscious. A jolt as the vehicle hits a rough spot awakens her. Nile looks around, sees Andy’s head above the driver’s seat. She turns over carefully to avoid Andy’s attention, then two swift kicks at the latches of the tailgate force it open. Nile rolls sideways, allowing herself to drop to the ground behind the vehicle. She grunts at the impact, but keeps rolling. The movement dislodges her braids from their bun.]_

_[Andy must have heard the tailgate forced open. She turns casually and watches through the open tailgate as Nile is still rolling. She stops the vehicle.]_

_[Nile stops rolling with a grunt and lies on her back for a moment; it was a rough landing.]_

_[Andy steps out of the vehicle, evaluates the situation, tosses her sunglasses on the driver’s seat, casually walks toward Nile. Nile scrambles to her feet and starts running. She’s barely taken the third step when Andy pulls her pistol from her back waistband, calmly shoots her, then tucks the pistol behind her back again. Andy looks around as she approaches Nile, evaluating the terrain, then looks down at Nile -- lying on her side, bloody hole in her forehead.]_

**Andy:** _[sighs, shakes her head.]_ Why does it have to be so goddamn slow the first couple of times?

_[While Andy waits, she stretches her neck side to side, loosening tight muscles with an audible crackle.]_

_[Nile awakens with an indrawn gasp; her forehead wound starts to knit together. She groans and rolls onto her back, then lifts her head and feels the back of her skull. As she sees Andy standing in front of her, Nile sits up more and scoots backward on her butt. Andy stands still, calmly watching her.]_

**Nile:** You shot me.

**Andy:** _[completely matter-of-fact.]_ I did. I need you to get back in the car, please. _[takes a few steps toward Nile.]_

**Nile:** _[panting]_ This isn’t real. No, none of this is real.

**Andy:** _[walks forward, bends toward her.]_ You haven’t figured this out yet? _[Grabs Nile by the arms.]_ You can’t die. _[Hoists her to her feet.]_ Get up. 

_[Nile comes up with a knife, stabs it into the soft tissue between the right shoulder and the chest.]_

**Andy:** Argh! _[Andy grabs Nile’s knife hand.]_ Fuck! _[throws it violently aside, forcing Nile back a step. With the knife still in her, Andy sighs deeply and looks at Nile.]_  
_[Nile recovers her balance and stares that Andy is hardly reacting to having a knife in her.]_ Can you please _[grabs the knife with left hand, yanks it out]_ not do that again? _[throws the knife on the ground.]_

_[Nile seems overwhelmed; she turns away and bends over, retching and coughing, and spews on the ground. Andy closes her eyes and simply waits for it to finish.]_

**Nile:** _[stands, panting, regards Andy suspiciously.]_ Who are you? 

**Andy:** I lead a group of immortals. An army, I guess. Soldiers. Fighters like you. _[softer tone.]_ Look... _[Andy steps toward her; Nile steps back.]_ You’ve got questions, kid. I get it. _[tiny smile, small nod.]_ You want answers? Get back in the car.

_[Andy walks back toward the vehicle. Nile stares after for a second, then turns and evaluates the utterly barren landscape, miles from who-knows-where. She looks at the blood on the shoulder of her uniform, takes a beat to consider, turns and strides firmly after Andy.]_

34:17 minutes

_[The LUV approaches an old Russian cargo plane. It stops near two pickup trucks a short distance from the plane, each of which has a couple of armed Afghani men standing in the bed of the pickup, keeping guard, with two more armed men standing on the ground. Andy and Nile exit the vehicle, Andy with her pack over her right shoulder and jacket in her hand.]_

_[A man comes out of a tiny, rock-walled building, so old or decrepit that part of the roof has been replaced with plywood and tarp, held down with an old tire. He raises a hand in reassurance as he speaks Russian to the men on the ground; they relax their wariness about the LUV. As Nile hesitates, with a distrustful glance toward her, Andy waves to the man, who waves back. Andy heads toward the plane. Nile follows, while suspiciously eyeing the armed guards.]_

_[Niles goes first up the metal stairs into the plane, with Andy close behind. Inside, she sees some large trunks against the back bulkhead, with a couple of pillows (or bedrolls) stuffed to the side -- one blue, one pink; probably not bags of drugs or money. As Nile continues her cautious observations farther inside the plane, Andy drops her jacket and backpack on one of the rear trunks, unzips it, pulls out a rolled bundle of clothing. She tosses the bundle onto another trunk next to Nile.]_

**Andy:** Put those on.

**Nile:** Where are you taking me?

**Andy:** Paris. _[Andy takes a bottle of water from the backpack, tosses it toward Nile, who catches it easily.]_

**Andy:** You’ve got blood in your hair.

**Nile:** Wonder why?

_[Andy turns and regards her levelly as she pulls a pistol from the backpack and tucks it into the back of her waistband. Nile continues looking around the plane. There are two pallets stacked high with plastic bags, netted and strapped for security.]_

**Nile:** This guy’s a drug runner. This the shit you into?

**Andy:** Well, sometimes you gotta work with people you don’t wanna eat with. _[Reaches into her backpack and pulls out her cellphone.]_

**Nile:** Is this even safe?

**Andy:** Does it really matter? _[Andy steps out of the plane, leaving Nile staring after her.]_

_[the room in the safe house seems small, with high windows crossed with leaded bars to form a diamond pattern, and green branches visible outside; he stands next to a tall bookcase with thick bound books and binders (?) showing through the glass doors.]_

**Booker:** _[A room in the safe house, high leaded windows, green branches outside; he stands next to a tall bookcase.]_ Hey, Boss. 

**Andy:** You found Copley? 

**Booker:** Nothing but dead ends. 

**Andy:** He knows we’re hunting him. Keep looking. He’s doing the same to us. _[pauses]_ I have the new one. 

**Booker:** And?

**Andy:** Well, she stabbed me, so I think she has potential.

**Booker:** _[laughs]_ I’ll see you soon.

_[Andy shuts off the cellphone, drops it on the ground, and stomps it several times with her heel.]_

_[Inside the plane, Nile has changed into civilian clothing; she sits on a bench, folds her uniform neatly. As she looks around the plane, she notices a pistol in a holster, hanging from the back of the pilot’s seat. She looks up as Andy and the Russian-speaking man enter. The man heads toward the front of the plane. Andy slides the door shut and secures the latches while, outside, a couple of men wheel the metal staircase away from the plane. The man sits in the pilot’s seat, puts on his headphones, starts the engines.]_

_[Andy pauses to kick a cardboard box as she walks through the plane. Glass clinks; she reaches inside, pulls out a bottle of vodka. As Nile buckles her seatbelt, she notices another belt hanging from the bulkhead. It has a keyhole, with a key hanging beside it; apparently it can be locked. Andy ignores the plane beginning to move. She stands in the middle of the cabin, opens the bottle, prepares to drink -- while keeping an eye on Nile, who stares back at her.]_

_[As the plane’s movement becomes more unstable, Andy casually reaches up to grab an overhead strap (?) while upending the bottle and drinking deeply. The plane taxis and lifts off. Andy comes to sit near Nile, casually comfortable with elbows resting on her knees, on a ‘chair’ made of bulging duffel-bags laying against the wall of the plane. Nile turns to her.]_

**Nile:** So why is this happening to me? 

**Andy:** _[closes the bottle, doesn’t look at Nile.]_ I wish I knew. 

**Nile:** You said you had answers. 

**Andy:** _[puts bottle beside her, turns toward Nile, speaks flatly.]_ I didn’t say you’d like them. _[Nile sighs, bends forward, elbows on knees, hands clasping and unclasping.]_ Are you praying? _[Andy smiles, laughs softly.]_ God doesn’t exist. 

**Nile:** _[looks toward her, speaks firmly.]_ My God does. 

**Andy:** _[smiles as she looks at Nile.]_ You know, there was a time when I was worshiped as a god. _[The plane jolts with turbulence; Nile straightens, prepared for trouble. Andy stays relaxed, but deliberately looks upward.]_ Was that Him? Don’t worry, I can’t do shit like that. _[She stands, walks toward her backpack, speaks over her shoulder.]_ None of it means anything anyway.

**Nile:** _[rolls her eyes, but continues.]_ You said there were others. How many?

**Andy:** Four.

**Nile:** _[voice shows disbelief.]_ You’re an army of four? So that’s why you took me? So I could join your army?

**Andy:** _[returns with her backpack and jacket.]_ Yeah. _[Sits, tucks her pistol between two of the duffle-bags, on the side away from Nile.]_

**Nile:** No. This is some bullshit. _[huffs]_ You must... _[huffs again]_ ...must have hypnotized me, or... or, uh, drugged me or something. _[Andy has leaned back against the filled duffel-bag behind her, watches Nile search for answers to refute her new reality.]_ And that was a blank _[turns to Andy, secure with her reasoning]_ that you shot me with.

**Andy:** _[lightly]_ And I was the one who cut your throat. Right? _[stares at Nile, who stares back, then looks away; she has no answer for that.]_ Listen, kid. You already believe in... _[points upward, follows it with her eyes.]_ You should just keep following that illogic. _[Pulls her jacket over her shoulders as a blanket, turns on her right side, back to Nile, lies on the pile of duffel-bags like a reclining chair.]_ You’re already on board with the supernatural. _[Speaks with eyes already closed; it makes no difference to her.]_ If I were you, I’d get some sleep.

_[Nile bends forward and starts praying again.]_

_[Andy is asleep on her left side now, jacked pulled higher so her chin is tucked into the collar. The plane jolts. She starts to turn over in her sleep, but her arm doesn’t follow -- it’s held by the locking belt that Nile noticed earlier. She wakens fully, jerks again to test the restraint, looks at her arm to see what’s happening.]_

_[Andy looks toward the cockpit; Nile is pointing the pilot’s own pistol at him.[Reference here.](http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_Old_Guard)]]_

**Nile:** _[glances half-back toward Andy.]_ We’re not going to Paris. 

_[Pilot turns to look at the pistol pointing toward him, turns back to fly.]_

**Andy:** Andrei. _[Calm, lifts head in command.]_ Come here. _[Raises her tied arm.]_

_[Pilot starts to rise; Nile faces him more fully, points the pistol more directly, speaks sharply.]_  
**Nile:** Sit your ass down! 

**Andy:** _[loud half-shout]_ Stand up!

**Nile:** _[firmly]_ You do not listen to her. You listen to me. Land this plane.

**Andy:** Trust me. She’s not gonna shoot you. _[Pilot and Nile turn to look at her in disbelief.]_ I am. _[slowly and distinctly]_ Prikinsya myortvym. _[She pulls her pistol from between the duffel-bags, and fires. Pilot collapses over the controls.]_ (Pretend you’re dead.)

_[At the shot, Nile whips around to hold her pistol on Andy, who remains calm; she does not match gun-aim for gun-aim. Nile glances back toward pilot, sees him slumped and unmoving.]_

**Nile:** _[gasps, whirls back to Andy; voice shows rising panic.]_ Who’s gonna fly the plane? 

**Andy:** _[calmly]_ We don’t need a pilot. We can jump and survive. _[She lies back and closes her eyes.]_

_[Plane is plunging. Nile grabs hanging, swaying straps for stability as she moves toward Andy.]_

**Nile:** I am not jumping from a plane! _[Looks out window; they’re definitely headed down. Ride grows more turbulent.]_

**Andy:** Whoa! Shit! Maybe we do need a pilot. _[Looks at Nile, raises her strapped arm.]_ I can fly a plane. 

_[Nile thinks for a second, then hurries toward Andy, reaching into her hip pocket for the key. As Nile quickly starts to unlock the strap, Andy speaks calmly.]_

**Andy:** You don’t speak Russian, do you? 

**Nile:** Why? 

_[As soon as the strap is off Andy tosses her jacket aside and stands, still speaking calmly.]_  
**Andy:** Because I told the pilot to play dead.

_[Nile turns toward the cockpit. The pilot is sitting up and taking control of the plane. Nile whirls to hold the pistol on Andy, but Andy is right there. Andy grabs Nile’s gun-hand as it comes around, uses the momentum to flip/throw Nile to the floor. Andy stands looking down at her, waiting for her reaction.]_

_[Nile lies on her back for a moment, groans softly, turns to pick herself up. She rises to a crouch on hands and feet and glares at Andy, evaluating the enemy. Andy continues to wait calmly.]_

_[Nile grunts as she charges forward, keeping low, driving her shoulder into Andy’s stomach/chest. Andy easily grabs Nile by the shoulders and throws her aside, where she hits a tall metal container -- against her ribs, right under her armpit -- bounces off, lands against the wall. Andy casually flips her head to toss her hair out of her eyes.]_

_[The pilot turns to see what’s happening, looks worried, hesitates, but he needs to fly. He turns back to the controls.]_  


_[Nile stands slowly, glaring at Andy, sets her body as she prepares to continue the fight.]_

**Andy:** You really want to do this, kid? _[Andy’s eyes are bright, her expression relaxed but anticipating; she looks like she thinks this will be fun.]_

_[Nile throws a hard right punch; Andy leans away from it. Nile swings her left arm into a punch; Andy blocks the elbow with her left, brings her right around and under Nile’s arm, uses the momentum to spin Nile away from her. Nile turns back to face Andy again; both are panting with the exertion -- Nile more than Andy._

_[Andy gives a little chin-lift that says, ‘bring it on’. Her face has a half-smile, which we see whenever she’s still enough for us to notice. Nile clenches her jaw, raises her fists, throws another right punch. Andy blocks, grabs the arm, pulls it high with her left, throwing Nile off-balance, then forces it down while her right grabs Nile by the back of her neck, forcing her to bend sharply forward, even more off balance. She releases her hold before Nile’s arm breaks.]_

_[Nile rises, teeth bared, fist clenched. She throws a punch which Andy blocks upward, which allows Nile to slip under her arm and grapple Andy around the waist. The momentum allows Nile to spin Andy around and force her into the wall. Nile tries to hold her there, with her head forcing Andy’s chin upward to deprive her of leverage, but Andy grabs Nile’s shoulder with her left hand, hindering a possible counter-move, while her right fist comes up and across to punch Nile in the side of the neck, followed immediately by a sharp downward strike to Nile’s left arm. She quickly grabs the arm and uses the momentum to throw Nile into the wall, then catch the rebound and spin/throw her across the cabin. Nile turns back quickly, left punch, right punch; Andy blocks them easily still smiling. Nile moves in to grapple, which Andy allows -- so she can knee Nile in the gut and force her away. Now Nile is open, arms out of position; Andy moves in, body-checks, shoves Nile sharply; Nile staggers back into the pallet of drugs. Packages start spilling from the stack.]_

_[Nile is angry; she comes toward Andy, throws a furious right-left punch. Andy easily evades both. The pilot has turned to watch; things are getting out of control. He turns to the controls and banks the plane sharply, throwing both combatants across the cabin, into the wall. They are unfazed. Nile lunges forward immediately; she lands a punch hard enough to force Andy back two or three steps. Andy pauses to regroup. She nods slightly, smiling a little wider; she seems to approve of Nile’s tactics. As Nile stalks forward, Andy steps back a couple of paces, spits, and waits for the next maneuver.]_

_[Nile feints a punch, then tries to sweep Andy’s legs from under her. Andy lifts her leg to evade; Nile’s momentum causes her to spin completely around. Nile rebalances herself and throws a punch that lands in Andy’s face. Andy turns away, then back just as Nile throw another right punch. Andy evades, moves in and grabs Nile’s right shoulder with her right hand, then rotates her arm under Nile’s and comes up to clamp her left hand under Nile’s chin, forcing her head up and back. Nile’s left hand is holding Andy’s wrist, trying to keep that hand from pushing higher. Andy’s right hand holds Nile’s right arm close to Andy’s body, so Nile doesn’t have the leverage to escape. Andy holds Nile there for a moment, looking directly into her eyes, expression calm. Then she raises her hand higher, making enough pressure on Nile’s neck to cause pain. Nile gasps, releases her hold on Andy’s wrist, raises her left arm high, and brings it down on the arm that holds her chin. Andy lets the force turn her away and rebound as she turns into Nile, bringing her right elbow toward Nile’s face. Nile’s right hand catches Andy’s elbow; as she pushes it away, she’s out of position to bring her arms up for protection, half-turned away. Andy moves forward with a left punch-right elbow strike, which hits Nile low on the right side. Nile cries out and flinches into a crouch, fists clenched and arms in front of her chest. Andy steps back and waits for the next move, eyes calculating.]_

_[Nile lunges forward with a right-left punch. Andy evades the right, then grabs Nile’s left arm with her left hand, which forces her sideways to Andy’s body. Andy’s right hand grabs Nile’s neck; she turns as she pulls Nile’s left arm while pushing her neck, forcing her into the wall. Nile gets her bent right arm up to absorb some of the force of hitting the wall, but for a moment she is pinned, her head mashed between Andy’s right hand and the wall, her left arm held immobile in Andy’s left hand. Nile uses her right hand to slowly force herself away from the wall, against the continuous pressure that Andy maintains against her head. Suddenly Andy releases the pressure so that Nile’s effort moves her quickly toward Andy, but severely off balance. Andy grabs Nile’s right shoulder with her left hand, her forearm across Nile’s throat. Andy uses Nile’s body as an anchor post as she leaps into the air, plants her feet against the bulkhead behind Nile, uses the flying momentum to carry her half around and push off the wall to come down with her body close to Nile’s right flank. Andy’s hands grab Nile’s shoulders as her downward/forward momentum continues. As Andy’s feet hit the floor, she drops back and down to the floor. Andy’s grip on Nile’s shoulders pulls Nile down and flips her into the air. Nile flies over Andy’s position on the floor and lands hard. Andy continues her rolling momentum and quickly rises, but Nile is slow to push herself up. Nile’s movements are jerky instead of smooth, and she grunts with pain. Andy steps forward.]_

**Andy:** _[calmly]_ We’re done.

_[Nile rises to her feet, pauses for a moment, then explodes forward with a right punch. Andy grabs Nile’s arm and twists it violently backward; Nile screams in pain as her shoulder is dislocated; we hear torn tissues crackling and tearing. But Nile’s momentum carries her forward. Andy keeps hold of the arm, steps to the side, and grabs Nile’s raised elbow. Nile yells again in pain, and Andy uses her hold on that arm to throw Nile against the rear bulkhead. Nile rebounds and lands in a crouch, her right arm hanging useless beside her while Andy stands quietly, watching her.]_

**Andy:** _[more firmly]_ I said we’re done.

_[Nile looks up at Andy, angry and defiant, looks at her useless right arm, then uses her left arm to help push her upward and forward. She aims a sweeping right kick toward Andy’s legs. Andy simply raises her left leg to block it; Nile yells as her lower leg breaks when it hits Andy’s. She falls to the floor, landing on her bad right shoulder, and cries out. She groans and slowly rolls onto her back.]_

**Andy:** _[steps forward to stand over Nile.]_ You’re very good. _[Nile tries to ignore her, breathing deeply into the pain. Andy squats beside her.]_ What’s your name?

**Nile:** _[pauses a beat, still defiant; her eyes flick sideways to Andy, then away.]_ Nile. 

**Andy:** _[gives a small nod of acknowledgement, then looks over Nile’s body.]_ You see? You’re already healing faster.

_[Nile lifts her head, watches in frowning disbelief as the bloody, open wound on her outer lower arm visibly knits and heals, then sits up to see her bent and broken lower right leg straighten. She rests her hand against the leg to feel what shouldn’t be happening as the healing bone repositions itself. Andy watches her reaction.]_

**Nile:** _[whispering]_ Is this real? _[tiny head-shake]_ I got people that love me. _[bows her head]_ People that are gonna worry. _[raises her head firmly, takes a deep breath, turns to face Andy.]_ I’m a Marine. They think I went A-WOL.

**Andy:** You’re not a Marine anymore. _[Nile shakes her head.]_ They’re going to lock you up. _[Nile hitches a breath, seems to hold in tears. She turns her head away from Andy, rocks back and forth.]_

_[Andy’s expression softens toward sympathy as she watches for a moment, then she stands and extends a hand. Nile regards it - and Andy - dubiously, then takes the hand firmly. Andy helps her to her feet in one smooth movement. They stand looking at each other. Nile still seems slightly defiant as she stares at Andy, but Andy disengages and turns away. Nile watches Andy walk toward their seats, then slowly follows.]_

43:30 minutes

NOTE: Castalie tells me that Goussainville is [ A Ghost Town on the Fringes of Paris](https://www.solosophie.com/goussainville-ghost-town-paris/). 

_[View of old church with gray walls and roof, trees growing nearby. A jetliner passes overhead with a roar of engines. GOUSSAINVILLE FRANCE appears on screen.]_

_[Nile comes into view; she carries her uniform-bundle under her right arm as she follows Andy through an overgrown cemetery (green grass and weeds, crosses and headstones) toward the church. Andy has her backpack properly settled over both shoulders, which indicates that they’ve walked/hiked some distance. Andy seems cautious as she walks, occasionally turning to observe their surroundings.]_

**Nile:** I thought you said we were going to Paris.

**Andy:** We’re just outside of Paris. This is Goussainville. This place has been abandoned for fifty years.

**Nile:** Why?

_[Andy looks up, toward the sound of another plane passing overhead; she turns and grins at Nile. Nile also gazes upward, then turns and continues to follow Andy.]_

_[Good-sized room. Stove within an arched alcove to the left, a small set of cabinets with a cluttered counter-top to the right. There are a few lights and lamps, but the room is fairly dim. Joe, Nile, Booker, and Nicky are seated around the table in the center, eating. As she eats, Nile keeps an eye on the men. They’re also eating without speaking, watching her watch them. Andy is an adjoining room (bedroom?); the team is visible through a leaded-veined window.]_

**Nile:** _[finally breaks the silence.]_ So are you good guys or bad guys? 

**Joe:** _[looks to Nicky, then back to Nile.]_ Depends on the century. 

**Nicky:** _[leans back in his chair.]_ We fight for what we think is right. 

_[Nile looks skeptical. She lifts her eyes to see Andy enter the room, cross to the stove.]_

**Nile:** How are you all in my dreams?

**Joe:** We dream of each other. They stop when we meet.

_[Andy is listening as she dishes a plate of food.]_

**Nile:** Why?

_[Joe opens his mouth to answer, but Nicky speaks first.]_

**Nicky:** _[watches Joe meaningfully as he speaks]_ I believe it’s because we... we’re meant to find each other. _[Joe gives him a quick wink. Nicky smiles briefly, turns back to Nile.]_ It’s like destiny.

**Booker:** No, more like, uh... misery loves company.

_[Joe smiles and huffs a short laugh. Nile looks toward Andy, who’s eating while standing/leaning against the counter beside the stove.]_

**Andy:** _[looks up, points toward Booker.]_ What he said. 

**Nicky:** It used to take years to track a new one. Booker was the last. Eighteen-twelve.

**Nile:** _[stares at Booker, who is drinking from a glass.]_ No way. 

**Booker:** _[nods]_ Yeah, I died fighting with Napoleon. 

**Nile:** So... _[she looks to Nicky]_ you’re even older than him. 

_[Andy brings a cup and a bottle of vodka to the table, sits, takes off the cap.]_

**Joe:** Mm... Nicky and I met in the Crusades. 

**Nile:** _[awe, disbelief]_ The Crusades? 

**Nicky:** _[gestures toward Joe.]_ The love of my life was of the people I’ve been taught to hate.

**Joe:** _[laughs]_ We... _[gestures between them]_ We killed each other. 

**Nicky:** Many times. _[another quick smile for Joe.]_

**Joe:** Yeah.

_[Booker laughs around his drink. Andy smiles slightly as she picks up the cup to drink. She watches Nile over the rim.]_

**Nile:** _[quietly, watching Andy.]_ You’re the oldest.

**Andy:** _[nods as she puts cup on table, lifts eyes to Nile, nods again.]_ Yeah.

**Nile:** So how old are you?

_[Joe crosses his arms, waits.]_

**Andy:** Old.

**Nile:** _[insistent]_ How old?

**Andy:** _[pauses, glances down, quietly.]_ Too old.

**Nile:** _[huffs, slight frown as she looks around the others at the table; quiet, awed surprise.]_ So we really never die.

**Andy:** _[takes a breath, small head-shake.]_ Nothing that lives, lives forever.

**Nile:** But... you said that we were immortal.

**Andy:** _[Gaze is cast down.]_  
I know what I said. And we mostly are,  
_[raises eyes to Nile.]_  
but we can die. And one of us did.  
_[view of man’s body with bloody wound in the stomach, someone else’s hand over it.]_  
He... He was a warrior, just like us.  
_[Andromache, wearing an ancient headdress, looks down, concerned. A man’s face; he’s lying on his back, looking up, eyes seem glazed.]_  
A long time ago.  
_[Andy shakes her head. Booker watches and listens quietly.]_  
One day your wounds just don’t heal up anymore, and...  
_[Nicky and Joe watch Nile's reaction.]_  
we don’t know when or why.

**Nile:** _[considers carefully]_ So if we can die, _[raises eyes to Andy]_ then why would you shoot me? You could have killed me.

**Andy:** _[flicks eyes to Nile, quietly]_ You’re too new. 

_[For a moment, no one speaks. Nile looks at the others around the table; she seems ready to bolt. A plane rumbles overhead.]_

**Nicky:** _[gently, watching Nile closely.]_ It is a lot to understand. I think you should get some rest. Come with me. I’ll show you. _[Nicky rises, followed by Nile. He escorts her from the room. Joe watches them leave, then sighs deeply.]_

**Andy:** She wants to talk to her family. 

_[Joe and Andy exchange a look.]_

**Booker:** That’s not gonna help her. 

**Andy:** _[Grabs the bottle of vodka, uncaps it, pours into her cup.]_ You tell her that.

_[Nicky returns and sits down again.]_

47:05 minutes

_[The kitchen is dark; an indistinct rumbling gradually intensifies. On the table, cups and glasses clink and rattle. View of darkened household; clothes folded on dresser, several swords and axes standing in umbrella stand by the door. In the bedroom. Booker sleeps on his back. Joe and Nicky are spooned together. Nile lies on her side, twitches, breathes heavily. Rumbling fades to silence.]_

_[Andy slouches in one of two easy chairs in ‘living room’, two steps down from ‘kitchen area’ beyond. A couple of lamps shine, and she’s not asleep. She raises her right hand, stares at it intently in the dim light, front, then back, makes a fist, studies that.]_

_[Nile gasps violently, bolts upright in bed, breathing heavily. Andy looks toward sleeping area. The others startle awake. Nicky grabs a pistol from under his pillow, Booker goes for the one in his belt as they look toward Nile.]_

**Booker:** What’s going on?

_[Nicky turns on a bedside lamp. Nile is panting, each breath almost a gasp; her eyes are wide and staring. From the distance, Andy focuses intently on her.]_

**Nicky:** What happened, Nile?

**Nile:** _[gulps, tries to control her reaction.]_ Um, it was just a... a bad dream. _[Joe relaxes, lies down again behind Nicky.]_ I’m sorry. _[Continues breathing heavily, unable to get calm. She looks toward the others, ashamed.]_

**Nicky:** _[reclines on his elbow, props head on hand.]_ Tell us.

**Nile:** I saw flashes of it before... when I first dreamt of all of you.  
_[Shakes head, eyes haunted.]_  
But now it’s clearer. I dreamed about a woman locked in an iron coffin...  
_[Andy freezes, eyes on Nile.]_  
under the sea. She kept... drowning  
_[Andy stands, devastated.]_  
and then coming back to life.  
_[Nicky looks back to Joe, who has leaned up behind him, then to Nile again, face concerned. Nile rocks back and forth as she speaks.]_  
She was hammering her bloody fists and knees against the iron.  
_[Andy walks as if being forced, eyes unfocused, toward the bedroom.]_  
She felt like something insane, something furious. But she kept fighting... and she kept drowning.

_[Andy goes to the window, stares into the bedroom. Booker leans against the headboard; he shakes his head slowly, wincing, looks to the other men. Joe is sitting up against the wall, eyes serious. Nicky sits on the side of the bed, shoulders hunched, head down.]_

**Nicky:** _[raises his head to look at Nile; both women deserve that honest respect.]_ Her name was Quynh.  
_[Vietnamese woman looks over her shoulder, long hair blowing in the wind. She looks worn, ragged, unutterably weary.]_

**Joe:** She was one of us.  
_[Woman walks across barren land. Some sort of hood covers her face; she carries a battle-axe in her right hand.]_  
The first immortal Andy found.  
_[Quynh lies unconscious on the ground, face rough and blistered, lips chapped.]_  
They had been alone so long, when she found her...  
_[Andromache looks down, silhouetted against a sun-seared sky.]_  
Quynh had given up.  
_[Nile stares at Joe and Nicky intently; she turns on her bed so that she sits cross-legged, facing them directly.]_  
Way back it was her and Andy.  
_[Joe and Nicky watch Nile with sad compassion. Andy turns away; sits, rubs her face.]_  
Before me and Nicky, it was just the two of them.  
_[Quynh and Andromache sit shoulder to shoulder, leaning against a cave wall(?), a campfire in front of them, laughing together.]_  
They ran through the world together,  
_[Ancient battle scene, men running, shouting, horsemen charging. Andromache rides a dark horse, carries her battle-axe, slashes other horsemen as they pass.]_  
fought thousands of battles side by side.  
_[Quynh leaps up onto a wagon, shoots arrows at the enemy. Andromache comes next to the wagon at a gallop, extends her hand. Quynh grabs it, Andromache pulls as Quynh jumps. She lands on the horse behind Andromache; they gallop away.]_  
_[Joe laughs slightly.]_  
She was a pit viper in a fight.  
_[Battle on the ground. Quynh spins, shoots arrow, Andromache wields her axe. They spin toward each other as another enemy charges, hit him from each side -- Andromache with her axe, Quynh with her sword.]_  
_[Andy is staring down, seems lost in memories.]_

**Nicky:** They were in England, freeing so-called heretics from the witch trials.  
_[Nile is staring at Joe and Nicky, riveted. Andy stares into the bedroom window, unable to not listen.]_  
But then Andy and Quynh, they were accused of witchcraft themselves,  
_[Body of woman hanging, hands bound behind with rope, crowd watching below.]_  
and they were trapped and caught.  
_[Crowd shouting, “Killers!” as we see Andromache and Quynh hanging from nooses, limp. Young girl watches, tugs man’s sleeve. Woman shouts, “Some will rot in hell!”]_

**Joe:** When they didn’t die, it proved their case,  
_[Andromache and Quynh revive, choking as they stare at crowd.]_  
and they got sentenced again and again.  
_[Dark cell, small fire for light. Andromache and Quynh, hair bedraggled, faces dirty, are manacled at wrists and ankles, chained to the wall, still sitting shoulder to shoulder.]_

**Quynh:** I’ve never been burned alive before. What do you think it’s gonna be like? 

**Andromache:** Excruciating.

_[They look at each other, smile. Andromache laughs.]_

**Quynh:** Just you and me. 

**Andromache:** Until the end.

_[They gaze into each other’s eyes.]_

_[Cell door opens. Man comes in with flaming torch, followed by a friar holding a plain wooden cross. The women draw back as keys jangle, watching warily.]_

_[Quynh’s manacles are unlocked. As two men grab her and force her to her feet and away from Andromache, the large main door opens wide -- to reveal an iron maiden waiting outside.]_

**Quynh:** _[screams]_ No! _[desperately]_ No! No, not this!

**Andromache:** _[surges to her feet.]_ Where are you taking her?

_[Quynh continues screaming, shouting, “No!” and “Please!” as she is dragged from the cell.]_

**Friar:** _[holds cross between him and Andromache.]_ You are too powerful together. For creatures such as you, there is no salvation.

**Andromache:** _[shouting desperately]_ Quynh! 

_[As she watches, Quynh is forced toward the iron maiden; she struggles and screams the entire time, but she is held too securely to fight, carried by a strong man holding each arm and each leg.]_

_[Quynh is forced into the iron maiden as Andromache struggles against her manacles. Andromache’s voice is a raw scream as she shouts Quynh’s name.]_

**Quynh:** _[screams desperately as the iron maiden is wrapped with chains and securely locked.]_ Andromache! Andromache!

_[As the iron maiden is carried away on a wooden cart, the friar following with cross held high between the iron maiden and the people, Quynh continues to scream Andromache’s name.]_

**Andromache:** No! _[Screams tear at her throat.]_ Quynh! No!

_[As the closing door shuts off sight of Quynh, Andromache falls to her knees, strains against her manacles until the blood drips from her torn wrists, but she cannot get out. She sobs hopelessly]_

_[View upward along the side of a wooden sailing ship. Several men lift the iron maiden over the rail and throw it into the ocean.]_

**Nicky:** After Andy escaped, we spent decades searching for her or anyone on that ship who could tell us where she was cast off.

_[Andy’s frozen expression begins to shatter; she closes her eyes and bows her head with grief.]_

**Joe:** She’s lived with that guilt ever since, but she blames herself for Quynh’s fate. 

_[Andy stands in the doorway of the bedroom, stares at the group. They all look up toward her.]_

**Nile:** Why do you blame yourself?

**Andy:** _[direct]_ I lost a soldier.

**Nile:** I feel her pain. Her rage. _[Andy closes her eyes, turns her head away.]_ She feels crazy.

_[Nicky looks up, disturbed.]_

**Joe:** _[solemn]_ Over five hundred years in a box... _[Quynh’s face behind the iron maiden.]_ at the bottom of the ocean... would make anyone insane.

**Nicky:** That’s the reason why we dread capture. Spend eternity in a cage.  
_[Quynh surges upward in her coffin, screams into the void with a burst of bubbles.]_

_[Nile looks sick as she contemplates such a fate. Andy watches closely; this will be difficult.]_

_[Nile pushes herself up from the bed and stalks out of the room. Andy sighs as she passes.]_

_[Andy and the men look at each other; there’s nothing to say. Andy turns and follows Nile.]_

_[On her way toward the door, Nile grabs her jacket from the bureau next to the TV, then storms outside. Andy grabs her pistol from the table between the easy chairs, tucks it in her back waistband, and follows.]_

_[As she leaves, Nicky enters the kitchen behind her.]_

_[Nile walks around the side of the church and some distance out into the grounds, then slows down and stops; there’s nowhere to go.]_

_[On the other side of the church, a group of men approach; they’re dressed in black, wearing helmets and body-armor, carrying rifles.]_

_[A plane roars overhead, filling the night with sound; the lights sweep across Nile. She looks up, then turns, startled, when Andy speaks.]_

**Andy:** _[softly]_ Nile.

**Nile:** _[fiercely]_ I don’t want this. _[Her voice grows angry as Andy comes closer.]_ I don’t want any of it.

**Andy:** I know. I know. 

**Nile:** There isn’t one good thing in any of this. 

**Andy:** I know this is hard. _[Nile stares at Andy, stone-faced and defiant. Andy’s voice is calm, reasonable.]_ It’s happening whether you want it or not. _[Nile looks away; that truth is too hard. On the other side, the intruders proceed along the wall of the church; they approach the door to the living quarters.]_ I know you’re scared, Nile. _[Nile isn’t watching Andy, but she’s still listening.]_ Me and those three men in there will keep you safe.

**Nile:** _[huffs a soft snort, faces Andy with a disbelieving look, cocks her head, speaks lightly as she strikes.]_ Like Quynh?

_[Andy lowers her eyes for a moment, acknowledges her point with a short nod, then raises her eyes to Nile, takes a breath, answers steadily.]_

**Andy:** We’re all you’ve got.

_[Andy watches her calmly; Nile drops her eyes and turns her head, thinking.]_

_[Gunshot in distance. Both women crouch, alert; Andy draws her pistol. Second shot. They move behind some tallish flowering plants -- precious little concealment -- shoulder to shoulder, peering into the darkness toward the sound. Third shot.]_

**Nile:** What’s happening? 

**Andy:** They found us.

53:50 minutes

_[Open doorway, backlit by moonlight. Andy appears, pistol raised. One of the easy chairs in the living room, along with the small side table, are on their sides on the floor.]_

_[Andy enters, face intent, clearing the room like the professional she is, pistol ready to use. Nile follows. Booker is slumped in the second easy chair, not moving, blood on his face. The TV shows a football (soccer) match playing, a lamp is knocked sideways, papers litter the floor.]_

**Andy:** _[calls]_ Joe? Nicky?

_[Booker is obviously dead; his stomach and chest are a mass of gaping wounds, and there are bloody holes in his face. Clear glass shards from a bottle of vodka cover the top of a repurposed crate to his left, between the chairs.]_

**Nile:** _[stares at Booker, quietly appalled]_ Shit.

**Andy:** _[keeps her pistol at the ready, moves close.]_ Booker. _[kicks his foot]_ You still with me? _[goes to one knee in front of him. Reverses the pistol, holds it out to Nile.]_ Clear the back room. Find Joe and Nicky. _[Nile takes the pistol, checks it, quickly heads that way. Andy cradles Booker’s face in her hands.]_ Hey. Hey. Book. _[She looks down at the terrible, gaping holes in his body; her voice drops to a whisper as she leans close enough to feel his breath on her face -- if he were breathing.]_ Come on. Come back to me. _[Clenches her teeth, angry; shakes him a little.]_ You’re still in this shitty game with me. _[Whispering, desperate.]_ You hear me? _[Holds his limp head firmly.]_ You wake up. _[Pauses a beat, waits for him... then slaps his head as she shouts,]_ Wake up!

_[Booker revives with a pained but muffled cry. He groans as he curls over his torn belly, leaning so far that Andy has to keep him from falling; they’re forehead to forehead as she holds his shoulders. Andy breathes deeply with relief, almost gasping, then pushes him back so he’s leaning against the chair’s back.]_

**Nile:** They’re not here. _[She stares at Booker’s revival process.]_

_[Booker grunts painfully and inhales sharply.]_

**Andy:** Welcome back, asshole. Thanks for taking your time.

**Booker:** _[groans as he looks down at himself, throws his head against the back of the chair as his body tenses with pain, speaks through clenched teeth.]_ It hurts everywhere. How bad is it?

_[Nile continues to stare, shaken that anyone can be conscious and lucid with such bodily damage, that she can see them healing.]_

**Andy:** _[deep breath as she rises]_ It’s an improvement.

_[Booker laughs, then coughs from the pain.]_

**Andy:** _[scans the damage in the room.]_ How many?

**Booker:** _[looks up]_ I don’t know.

**Andy:** Where are Nicky and Joe?

**Booker:** I don’t know! _[groans]_ I... I turned on the game.

_[Booker and Joe in the easy chairs, watching the football match. Nicky sits at kitchen table, leaning on his left arm, resting his head on his right hand, reading a book.]_

_[Door bursts inward. The men react instantly, turning toward it, already rising. One of the dark figures appears in the doorway, a grenade bounces on the floor, loud explosion, smoke fills the room, shadow figures move through it.]_

**Booker:** A grenade hit me. Lost the plot after that.

_[A courtyard shows an abandoned building to each side, an old, junked car sitting next to a building. In front of the car is a large, dark panel van. Inside, it’s been turned into a surveillance van. A large monitor shows a split-screen with 4 different views.]_

**Soldier on radio:** Two in transport. 

_[Camera pans back. Keane with headphones, Copley with radio sit at an electronics array in front of the monitor.]_

**Copley:** _[into radio]_ No, no. We need the woman. 

**Soldier:** Wasn’t there, and the other guy’s in pieces.

_[Keane flips switches to bring up different views on monitor.]_

**Copley:** _[clenches jaw, quietly to Keane]_ She’s there. 

**Andy:** _[understanding hits; she whispers]_ Copley. 

**Nile:** Copley?

**Andy:** They’re coming back. They want all of us. _[‘Warrior mode’ engaged; speaks as she strides toward the door.]_ You stay here. Wait for my signal. _[Grabs a sword from the umbrella stand and hurries out.]_

**Nile:** _[to empty doorway.]_ What signal? _[turns to Booker.]_ What does that even mean?

**Booker:** _[laughs raggedly, still in pain.]_ You’ll know it when it comes. _[Gasps, looks down at his body, looks up to reassure Nile.]_ And, by the way, it’s not always like this now. Big wounds take longer to heal.

**Nile:** _[skeptical sideways head-bob.]_ Sure.

_[Surveillance van interior, monitor shows soldiers going forward, Copley and Keane watch.]_

**Soldier:** _[on radio]_ Bravo Team approaching church.

_[Group of soldiers gather in entrance hall of church, just outside an archway that leads to the congregation area. Pause.]_

**Soldier:** _[quietly]_ Go, go, go.

“The World We Made” by Ruelle begins playing  
Secrets follow us,  
Visions, we can't forget.  
The animal inside got ahold of us,  
But we don't feel regret.  
There's no resisting,  
It's in our blood,  
In our blood, in our veins.  
This is the world we made.  
This is the world we made.  
This is the world we made.

_[Soldiers spread out among the pews, searching. Andy is above in the loft, half hidden behind a large statue (saint? angel?) as she evaluates their pattern and movements.]_

_[Andy jumps down into the middle of a cluster of men, moving into the attack as soon as her feet hit the floor, using a sword in her right hand and a pistol in her left.]_

_[Her sword stabs the man in front of her, sweeps in a wide arc to slice a second man, shoots a third, slices a fourth, shoots a fifth, stabs a sixth, shoots a seventh. She is constantly twisting, turning, lunging, dropping low to slash legs, standing to slash necks, firing the pistol, moving so fast the soldiers’ reactions are too slow to hit her as they try to shoot.]_

_[Andy cries out as eight stabs her right shoulder from behind. She grabs eight’s arm, ducks under it as she slashes his body, aims over the crumpling man to shoot a ninth, grabs eight around neck with her left arm and throws him to the floor, coils her body, drops into a half-crouch, extends her arms to slash tenth and shoot eleventh simultaneously. Rises to shoot twelfth, grab thirteenth’s arm and slice off his hand, drops and rolls over three shallow steps down, momentum carries her upright for a straight lunge to thrust the sword into fourteen.]_

_[Stillness. Andy pants heavily as she stares at the man, then pulls out her sword and stands. Waits.]_

_[In the entrance hall, one soldier looks around uneasily, then stands and moves toward the entrance arch, with the others following.]_

**Soldier:** Come on! Move! Move!

**Nile:** _[urgently]_ We’ve gotta get out there! _[turns and looks toward the church, hears gunfire, shouts.]_ We need to help her! 

**Booker:** _[calmly, unworried]_ No, that’s not the signal. _[starts to rise]_

_[Exterior view of church. Gunfire sounds, flashes of light through windows. Soldiers shouting inside. More soldiers creeping along outside wall of church. Soldier turns the corner, raises a fist in signal -- just as Andy steps out of side door and shoots him. She walks forward, turns the corner, shoots the next.]_

_[Monitor in surveillance van shows scene after scene of death and destruction, black-clad bodies lying sprawled, and no one alive. Keane slowly removes his headphones, mouth agape, as he stares.]_

**Copley:** Mr. Keane. _[breathes deeply, voice quiet but intense.]_ I strongly recommend that we leave right now. _[They scramble from their chairs and hurry away.]_

_[Andy is crouched over an open carry-bag in the grass, pulling out extra magazines. She raises her pistol and moves forward.]_

_[Booker is wearing a fresh shirt, unbuttoned. His chest and stomach are mostly healed, just one thin line of bloody scar tissue showing. He begins to shove clothing into a carry-bag.]_

**Nile:** _[coming from the other room, speaks urgently.]_ Come on! Let’s move!

**Booker:** _[firmly]_ Wait for the signal. 

**Nile:** _[angry, voice raised]_ How the hell can you even tell? _[She flinches back as an explosion blast breaks the windows on that side. She stares, says quietly,]_ Oh. 

**Booker:** _[commanding]_ Let’s go!

_[Booker slings the carry-bag over his left shoulder, picks up Andy’s labrys in its carry-case and slings that on top, heads toward the door, buttoning his shirt as he goes. His shirt closes over smooth, unmarked skin.]_

_[Nile enters the church first, pistol drawn and extended. As she registers what she’s seeing, her pistol lowers and she pauses, staring at all the sprawled bodies.]_

**Nile:** _[quiet disbelief]_ Andy did all this herself?

**Booker:** Yeah. That woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn. _[He hurries past her, checking (loading?) his rifle as he walks.]_

**Nile:** _[following slowly]_ Who are they? How’d they find you? _[lags behind, still staring at the carnage.]_

**Booker:** _[at door]_ I don’t know. _[commanding]_ Let’s go! _[Booker moves quickly outside. Nile runs to catch up.]_

_[Outside, a vehicle (the soldiers’?) is in flames. Booker runs past it, Nile following... then Nile looks ahead and pauses, watching, face expressionless. Andy is standing beside the driver’s side of a car, door open and ready. She gazes at Nile, equally expressionless, then gestures slightly with her arm toward the car before she folds herself into the driver’s seat. The car speeds into the night.]_

58:45 minutes

_[Large cargo van driving down the road. Inside, soldiers sit on benches. Nicky lies on the floor, kind of crumpled. Joe is sitting next to him, coughing violently. His hands are zip-tied in front of him, and his ankles are bound with a length of chain between them.]_

**Joe:** _[reaches out to touch Nicky’s shoulder, speaks quietly]_ Nicolò. 

**Soldier:** _[kicks Joe’s boot]_ Quiet.

**Joe:** Nicolò, destati. Destati! _[pushes harder on his shoulder, leans over Nicky.]_ (wake up)

**Soldier:** _[louder]_ I said --

_[Another solder pulls Joe upright, away from Nicky.]_

**Joe:** _[Looks up at speaker, voice firm.]_ I know what you said. What are you gonna do? Kill me? _[Curls over Nicky, voice urgent.]_ Nicolò, destati. _[Ignores another kick to his boot, attempt to pull him back.]_ Destati! 

**Nicky:** _[quietly, barely conscious]_ Sono qui. Sono qui. _[breathing heavily, slight groan as he starts to pick himself up.]_ Ovunque qui sia. (I’m here. I’m here. Wherever here is.)

**Joe:** _[glances around the space.]_ In un blindato. Hanno usato del gas. (In an armored van. They used gas.)

**Soldier:** I told you, shut up! 

**Joe:** _[calmly but intently.]_ I need to know he’s okay.

_[Nicky makes it to a seated position, leans against an unoccupied section of the bench.]_

**Soldier:** _[sneering]_ That’s sweet. What is he? Your boyfriend?

_[Nicky sighs deeply as the soldiers laugh, rolls his head to the side; he and Joe have heard such things so many times before.]_

**Joe:** _[intensely, vibrantly.]_ You’re a child. An infant. Your mocking is thus infantile. He’s not my boyfriend. This man is more to me than you can dream. _[Nicky watches Joe speak, eyes visibly widen, love shines in his face.]_ He’s the moon when I’m lost in darkness and warmth when I shiver in cold. And his kiss still thrills me, even after a millennia. His heart overflows with the kindness of which this world is not worthy of. I love this man beyond measure and reason. He’s not my boyfriend. _[Pauses, takes a deep breath, gazes at Nicky, deeply heart-felt.]_ He’s all and he’s more.

**Nicky:** _[softly]_ You’re an incurable romantic.  
_[He leans forward, smiling; Joe meets him halfway with a matching smile. They kiss, deeply... until the soldiers, uncomfortable with this display, pounce on them and drag them apart.]_

_[A plane on the tarmac; Keane, Copley, a group of soldiers stand near the stairs. The van drives up and parks near it. Keane opens the back door; one of the soldiers rolls out, falls to the pavement, unconscious or dead. Pistols cock and point to the inside of the van. All the soldiers are sprawled, unconscious or dead. Joe sits relaxed on one of the benches, elbows on knees; Nicky sits on the floor next to his legs, equally relaxed. Both smile at their captors.]_

**Nicky:** I don’t suppose it would be possible to get these chains off of us? _[He raises his bound hands, then grins up at Joe.]_

**Keane:** _[angry]_ Get ‘em out, get ‘em out! Get ‘em on the plane now! 

**Joe:** _[philosophically]_ I guess not. 

_[Copley watches, frowning, as they are ‘escorted’ out of the van at gunpoint. As he walks by, Nicky gives him a level look.]_

**Nicky:** We are usually a better judge of character. _[He looks at the plane, then starts up the stairs.]_ I suppose you are taking us to the person who paid for your betrayal. 

**Joe:** _[looks over the plane, turns to Copley as he passes; sounds a little surprised, a little approving, before he starts up the stairs.]_ It’s a nice plane.

**Nicky:** _[calling from inside]_ There’s a TV, Joe.

**Joe:** _[also inside]_ Champagne?

_[Copley looks at Keane, hesitates, then follows them up the stairs.]_

1:00:50 minutes

_[Aerial view, dawn breaking over a green landscape. VAL D’ARGENT FRANCE appears on screen.]_

_[Car on road, Nile in the back seat, Andy driving. She stops in front of what appears to be a large wall of corrugated metal. It’s marked with graffiti and a large sign that reads: ATTENTION. DEFENSE D’ENTRAR. Booker gets out, goes to the right side. A chain rattles, then Booker opens what is actually a large gate. Andy drives past and Booker closes the gate behind them.]_

_[The car drives farther, stops in a flat area with a low bluff to one side and trees around and ahead; it seems very secluded. Everyone gets out; Andy heads for some young trees with low-hanging branches. She stoops a little to push through them, Booker and Nile behind her.]_

_[We hear a bolt(?) latch(?) move; from the inside, light appears as a pair of doors open, Andy and Booker silhouetted against the light. Nile follows them into darkness. We hear a ‘thunk’ as Andy throws a generator switch (?) and a few lights come on, mounted on the walls. It’s not bright by any means, but enough to move around without falling over things, and to see what you’re doing.]_

_[Andy and Booker move farther inside, familiar with the layout. Nile follows more slowly, looking around.]_

**Nile:** What is this place? 

**Andy:** An abandoned mine. _[lights a long match, holds it to the wick of a hurricane lantern.]_ We stumbled on it during the Baussenque Wars. Eleven-fifties, maybe? _[Nile, looking around, quickly shifts her gaze to Andy, reminded once again of her age.]_ I used to keep my stuff here.

_[She picks up the lantern and gives it to Nile. Nile raises her eyes as she accepts it; apparently she has permission to look around. Andy and Booker walk to a side area that holds a pile of wood (?).]_

**Andy:** Here... 

_[Nile slowly wanders, using the lantern to examine what she finds. A strange metal helmet that would cover the head. A painting half hidden under a cloth. She lifts the cloth to see a woman in clothes from an earlier time -- Andy -- with a black man standing behind her, holding her with his arm around her waist.]_

_[Andy squats in the middle of the floor, looks to see what Nile is doing, but doesn’t say anything.]_

_[Nile continues, checks out a box with a few mining tools (handle of a shovel), plus a couple of crossbows and some bolts for them. Finds statue half-covered with a cloth; she lifts the cloth to see a bronze nude woman. Drops the cloth completely as she stares in surprise.]_

**Nile:** _[breathless]_ Is this a Rodin?

**Andy:** _[crouches next to Booker, helping to build a fire. She looks up, nods briefly.]_ Yeah. 

**Nile:** _[voice shows her amazement]_ This is an -- honest to God -- Rodin. _[She holds the lantern closer for a better look, then pauses.]_ Wait. . . . Did you know him? 

**Booker:** _[stirs the fire.]_ Probably biblically. 

_[Andy gives him an affectionate punch on the left shoulder; he laughs as she smiles. Nile continues her exploration.]_

**Andy:** Get to work finding Copley. He’s got Nicky and Joe.

_[Booker brushes off his hands, goes to get his laptop. Andy stares into the fire.]_

1:03:27 minutes

_[MERRICK in big letters on the side of a fancy, modern, high-rise building.]_

**Merrick:** _[on cellphone]_ It can hardly be unique if they can make another copy. _[Looks up to see Keane walking down the hall, followed by Joe, Nicky, soldiers, and Copley.]_ I’ve got to go. _[Enters the ‘holding area’.]_  
_[Joe and Nicky are brought into the room, still zip-tied and hobbled, with a man holding each arm, and armed guards following, weapons aimed and ready. The guards stop them, standing next to each other, in the middle of the room. Copley walks past everyone and takes a position to the side, out of the way.]_

Ah! Gentlemen, welcome. I am truly honored to meet you. Together, we shall do such things. What they are yet, I know not, but they shall be the terrors of the Earth. _[Joe and Nicky regard him with skepticism and disbelief.]_ Or, um, rather the saviors. _[Copley also regards him with skepticism.]_ Lear... Shakespeare. _[Nicky and Joe look at each other. Merrick gestures to the zip-ties, turns to Keane.]_ Um, can we take the cuffs off? 

**Keane:** _[meaningfully]_ No, sir. We can’t. 

**Merrick:** My apologies. Let’s get off on the right foot, shall we? I’m Steven Merrick, youngest CEO in pharma. _[Nicky is not impressed.]_ Our work here is all about balance. _[Moves directly in front of Joe, who watches with a frown, calculating.]_ How do we push the scientific frontiers whilst also turning a little profit? _[Joe slams his forehead into Merrick’s face -- hard. Merrick cries out and stumbles back, catches himself on a desk.]_

**Joe:** _[answers through gritted teeth, with Keane’s hand around his throat and pistol pointed his face.]_ There’s your balance, asshole.

_[Keane disengages, but guard behind Joe clubs him across the back of the neck. Joe grunts and folds over, but another guard holds him up so he can’t fall. Nicky tries to move closer to Joe, the guards hold him in place.]_

**Keane:** _[going to him]_ Mr. Merrick? 

**Merrick:** Yes, yes, yes.

**Keane:** Watch it. 

**Merrick:** Mr. Copley provided me with footage of your unique talent, _[picks up a metal letter-opener from the desk]_ but I prefer my evidence to be indisputable. _[Crosses to Joe -- still in a bent over position -- and stabs him, viciously and repeatedly on the upper back and neck; Joe goes to his knees under the attack.]_

**Nicky:** _[struggles to pull free from the guards holding him.]_ No! _[The guards finally force him to his knees, next to Joe. Both are still tightly held by several guards each.]_

**Copley:** _[in protest]_ Mr. Merrick!

**Joe:** _[groans, grimaces through gritted teeth.]_ God damn it! Ugh! Shit!

_[The doctor moves closer to Joe, watches as the wounds start to heal.]_

**Merrick:** What do you see?

**Kozak:** _[breathing heavily]_ The Nobel Prize.

_[Copley glances at her, then back to Joe, frowning.]_

**Merrick:** And a fair few quid to boot. _[chuckles]_

_[The guards drag Joe upward, but keep him on his knees, while Nicky watches, concerned. Joe turns to look at him, then tips his head forward. Nicky answers with his own head-tip; their foreheads touch for a moment before the guards pull them apart.]_

We brought a cancer drug to the market last quarter. It’s already saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Yet, in development, it killed a quarter of a million lab mice. Now, I didn’t ask for their little permissions. I’m not gonna ask for yours. 

**Joe:** _[watches Merrick intently as Nicky glares up at the man.]_ He thinks you’re a mouse, Nicky.

_[Copley watches, still frowning.]_

**Merrick:** There’s genetic code inside you which could help every human being on Earth. We’re morally obliged to take it. 

**Joe:** What?

_[The doctor comes forward with two cylindrical somethings in her hands.]_

**Joe:** What is that? Wait!

**Nicky:** Hey!

_[Tasers crackle against their backs; they groan as they collapse to the floor. Nicky can see an injector against Joe’s neck, and one coming for him.]_

**Nicky:** _[strained]_ No! 

_[The guards haul them up -- either unconscious or temporarily paralyzed -- and drag them from the room.]_

**Kozak:** I’ll keep you informed of my progress. _[She follows the guards and their captives out.]_

**Merrick:** Yes. Yes, you do that. 

_[Merrick heads to his office. Copley follows.]_

**Copley:** Mr. Merrick... _[Merrick turns]_ this is about science, not profits... or sadism. 

**Merrick:** You owe me two more. _[He climbs the stairs out of sight.]_

1:06:00 minutes

_[Nile sits in front of campfire, uses stick to poke at it. Booker’s laptop screen with open browser shows Copley’s visa.]_

**Andy:** _[pacing, impatient]_ Come on, Book. You’ve been working on that for hours. _[Winces, puts left hand on right shoulder.]_

**Booker:** He’s a security expert. He leaves no footprints. It’s gonna take time. 

**Nile:** _[looking up]_ You got a satellite link?

**Booker:** Yeah.

_[Andy puts her left hand under her jacket and shirt, to check out her right shoulder, frowns as she feels wetness.]_

**Nile:** Follow the money. Whoever he’s working for, maybe?  
_[Andy slowly brings her hand out, stares at the blood on her fingers in disbelief.]_  
That’s how we track militants.  
_[Flash-memory, soldier stabbing shoulder in the church. Andy goes to a trunk (footlocker), pulls out a different coat.]_  
_[Nile is casual, disinterested.]_ I’m sure you already tried that. 

**Booker:** Yeah, it won’t hurt to try again. 

**Andy:** _[putting on the longer, heavier coat]_ You know how it works, Nile. Get some sleep while you can. 

**Booker:** _[Points to carry-bag]_ I brought you a change of clothes. 

_[Nile shifts her eyes to Andy. The little expression on her face indicates that she’s not sure this woman is safe to, or worth, associating with.]_

**Andy:** _[walking past them]_ I’m going out for a bit. 

**Booker:** _[turns to watch her go.]_ Are you all right, Boss?

**Andy:** Yeah. _[Exits under an arch, down a tunnel toward the entrance.]_

_[Booker sighs, turns back to his laptop, resumes his search.]_

_[Nile looks almost hypnotized. She slowly puts down the stick, then carefully extends her right hand into the flames. Booker watches as she holds it there for several seconds; we hear a slight ‘sizzle’ before she gasps sharply and yanks it back, grunts at the pain.]_

**Booker:** _[slightly amused]_ Just because we keep living doesn’t mean we stop hurting. 

**Nile:** _[watches as her hand heals, the burns and blisters fade to normal smooth skin. Frowns as she looks up at Booker.]_ Why us? 

**Booker:** _[lifts and drops his hands, sighs.]_ Yeah. _[Reaches for his flask, starts unscrewing the cap.]_ That way madness lies.

**Nile:** I thought you were the brains of this outfit. _[Tilts her head.]_

**Booker:** _[chuckles heartily. Nile smiles in response.]_ Tell you what I do wonder... _[pauses, scratches forehead]_ is why you? _[Raises eyes to look directly at her.]_ And why now?

**Nile:** How old is Andy?

**Booker:** Well, she says she... she doesn’t remember. _[tiny smile]_ And she may not. I don’t know. But what I do know is she was alone for a long time before she found anyone like her. A very long time. _[Gestures to her with his flask.]_ What about you? You have someone? _[Lifts his flask to drink.]_

**Nile:** _[looks into fire, sighs.]_ Just my family.

**Booker:** _[lowers his eyes, seems to consider. Takes a breath to speak, stops, reconsiders. Finally speaks, with difficulty, pausing as he remembers the pain.]_ I had three sons. And the youngest one, Jean Pierre... was the last one to die. He was forty-two when, uh... cancer took him. _[Nile is watching him intently; Booker looks directly at her.]_ The only way is forward now.

**Nile:** _[slight frown]_ What do you mean?

**Booker:** _[softly, explaining gently.]_ You’ll always and forever be the young woman right there... but everyone around you, everyone you love... is gonna grow old, is gonna... is gonna suffer and is gonna die. _[Continues to tell his story with many pauses, struggling as he remembers the pain.]_  
_[Closeup on fire moves to flash of statue of Christ, large open hallway, nursing sisters passing.]_ And if you try to... if you try to touch their lives... well, they will get to learn your secret. _[Booker’s son on bed, curly hair, loose white shirt, bent over, coughing painfully.]_ They will beg you to share it with them, and you won’t be able to. _[Booker sits beside bed, holding glass of water. His son rolls over, shouts, strikes out, hits Booker’s hand so that water flies out.]_ And they won’t believe you, of course. _[deep, painful breath]_ And they will tell you... _[Booker’s son turns away from him, mouth open wide as he cries or shouts.]_ that you don’t love them. That your love is weak... _[Booker walks away from the hospital ward, shoulders slumped. Nile stares up at him, absorbing every word.]_ or selfish. And you will never forget... the hate... and despair in their eyes. And you will know what it is to lose... _[Deep breath, deep pain in eyes; he can hardly force out the words.]_ everyone you’ve ever loved.

_[Nile continues to watch closely, saddened by his story. Booker takes a deep breath, lifts his flask and drinks.]_

1:10:10 minutes

_[Interior of une pharmacie. Andy picks up a shopping hand-basket, walks by a selection of nail-care items, indicated by the manicure advertisement over the shelf. Pauses as she reaches and scans the first-aid section. The clerk, a dark-haired woman, looks up, watches.]_

_[Andy bends to consider items she’s never had to use, unsure what she needs. Scans the shelves, then straightens to eye the clerk with a slight frown. Clerk looks down, away from Andy.]_

_[Andy starts putting items in her basket almost at random, sliding three different creams/salves from the top of a shelf, a package of this, a bag of that, a box of bandaids. She finishes by grabbing several chocolate bars and tossing them into the basket.]_

_[Andy plops the basket on the checkout counter without speaking. The clerk looks up at her (Andy is several inches taller), also without speaking, then opens a plastic bag to load the items as she scans them. Andy hears a police siren and turns, but it fades in the distance and she turns back toward the clerk.]_

**Andy:** _[with a low-key intensity]_ Do you have a bathroom? 

**Clerk:** No. _[She continues the checkout, but notices Andy’s reaction (tight face, downcast eyes), considers what she sees.]_ But we have a storeroom. _[pauses]_ Do you need help? 

_[Storeroom. Andy has slipped her coat and shirt off her right shoulder; the wound is about two inches (5cm) long and gaping open a quarter-inch (.5cm) wide; it looks ragged and raw, and is red and inflamed.]_

_[Andy breathes deeply and clutches her right coat-sleeve with her left hand as the clerk dabs the wound with a cotton ball; the medicine obviously stings. As the clerk finishes the cleaning, Andy turns to look at the wound, then quickly turns away.]_

**Clerk:** _[opens a package of steri-strips(?).]_ Stitches would be better, but... this will help. _[carefully pulls the wound closed with the steri-strips.]_

**Andy:** _[quietly]_ You haven’t asked. 

**Clerk:** _[equally quiet]_ Your business is yours. You need help. What does it matter why? Today, I put this on your wound. Tomorrow... you help someone up when they fall. _[Andy closes her eyes and bows her head slightly.]_ We’re not meant to be alone. _[Andy watches her face, considering her words.]_ There. _[Andy looks at her shoulder. The strips have been covered by a pad, which is held on by a broad adhesive patch.]_ This should do. 

**Andy:** _[shrugs into her shirt and coat, whispers]_ Thank you.  
_[The clerk looks up, gives her a twitch of a smile, closes the medicine bottle.]_

_[Street scene. Andy walks to the car, looking warily around as she goes. In the car, she sits, remembering.]_

**Quynh:** Andromache, help me! _[Quynh’s hands press down on a bloody wound low on a man’s stomach.]_ Why won’t it stop? _[Flash of Lykon’s face, strained, Quynh’s face, frantic.]_

**Andy:** _[face streaked with dirt, panting]_ This can’t be happening. 

**Quynh:** _[Quynh’s face, blood-spattered, gazing down fearfully.]_ Lykon! No...

**Lykon:** _[muttering, blood sliding from the corner of his mouth.]_ It’s time.

**Andy:** It’s impossible. _[Shakes head, breathes deeply.]_

**Lykon:** It... it’s time.

_[Andy stares at his face as Quynh sobs frantically and Lykon’s eyes glaze over.]_

_[Andy sits motionless in the car, gazing out through the windshield as she remembers.]_

1:13:27 minutes

_[Monitor beeping. Camera pans up a blue hospital drape, over a man’s bare chest with cardiac sensors attached, to Joe’s face. He seems to be asleep or unconscious.]_

_[Copley and Merrick are in some kind of supply room (?) -- shelving units, banks of drawers, etc.]_

**Copley:** How long will the testing take? 

**Merrick:** Until we have results we can replicate.

_[Nicky is securely strapped -- arms and legs -- to a lab bed/examination table, so that he cannot move or escape. Kozak is pushing a long thin probe into the side of his abdomen. He grits his teeth and grunts in pain, neck tense as he strains against the straps, but refuses to cry out. The speed of the beeping increases.]_

**Kozak:** _[dispassionately]_ Do you feel the wound trying to close?

_[Camera pans past medical tray with chunks of bloody tissue laying on sterile (?) cloths, as well as capped pill-bottle-sized containers with other samples surrounded by liquid.]_

**Copley:** You don’t need them for that. You’ve got the samples, blood, tissue, DNA.

**Merrick:** Well you know the concept of proprietary data -- and they’re the product. _[Copley stares, frowning.]_ They go in the vault, they stay there under lock and key.

**Copley:** For... ever? _[Shakes head as frown increases.]_

**Merrick:** We can’t have them strolling back out into the world, into my competitors’ laps. If this takes years, maybe decades, what does it matter to them? If we can unlock their genetic code, the world will be begging us for the key.

**Kozak:** _[pulls probe out of Nicky, then watches the hole close up.]_ Huh! Remarkable.

**Nicky:** _[breathing heavily]_ You will not be able to give him what he wants.

**Kozak:** You think I go too far? That I am unethical? _[She drops the chunk of Nicky’s liver (?) into a vial.]_

**Nicky:** I would say immoral.

**Kozak:** I believe this can change the world.

**Nicky:** _[quietly]_ A fine justification. I’ve heard it so many times before.

_[Nicky stares levelly at her as she studies him, then she snorts and walks away.]_

_[Joe awakens with a gasp; Nicky turns his head to him as he tries and fails to dislodge his restraints, grunts/groans with the effort. Subsides, breathing heavily, turns his head to his right, to see Nicky on the bed next to his. As soon as he does, his eyes widen as he registers the doctor standing near Nicky, but she’s already moving. Joe lifts his head to watch her walk out of the room, then drops his head on the pillow with a sigh.]_

**Nicky:** _[watches Joe, smiling.]_ As much as I like watching you sleep, I’m glad you’re awake.

**Joe:** _[turns to Nicky, purses lips in thought]_ Bed head?

**Nicky:** _[laughs]_ Nicely tousled.

_[Joe tries to shift position, but the restraints don’t allow even that easement. He sighs.]_

**Nicky:** _[staring at the ceiling.]_ Do you know, I was thinking about Malta.

**Joe:** _[turns to Nicky.]_ What time in Malta? _[Nicky turns to Joe and just looks at him with a small smile. After a beat, Joe grins.]_ Oh, that time in Malta. _[His grin widens as he laughs.]_

**Nicky:** _[quietly]_ Dovremmo ritornarci. (We should go back there.)

**Joe:** _[softly]_ Sarebbe bello. (That would be nice.)

_[Kozak walks back into the room.]_

1:15:37 minutes

_[In the mine, the fire is burning low; Booker and Nile are asleep. Nile twitches. Flash of the Afghani man Nile shot crying out and falling. Nile startles awake, breathing heavily, sits half-up, looks around, sees Booker still asleep. Sits all the way up, deliberately breathes deeply and slowly, trying to calm herself.]_

_[Outside, very early, shortly after dawn. Andy is propped (sitting/leaning) against the hood of the car, very relaxed, one ankle crossed over the other. She is eating one of the chocolate bars and looking at something in her hand. She looks up as Nile comes out of the mine, still breathing deeply; her posture suggests she wants to run. Nile stops when she sees Andy, sighs, turns to her.]_

**Andy:** _[looks down at her hand, turns it to show Nile a cellphone with a picture on it.]_ Your mom and brother?

**Nile:** You have my phone! _[She hurries forward to grab it, but stops, seems uncertain of Andy’s response.]_

_[Andy holds out the phone. Nile takes it quickly, then sits/leans on the hood next to Andy, staring at her family.]_

**Andy:** Where’s your father? 

**Nile:** Killed in action when I was eleven. _[Andy nods. Nile unlocks the phone, scrolls through pictures, stops.]_ Here... _[She moves closer to Andy, shows her a handsome man posing in Marine dress blues.]_ My mom, she was drowning after he died. South Side of Chicago, a million different ways we could have went left. She fought for us. Never backed down. _[Andy raises her eyes to watch Nile’s face. Nile has a small smile as she glances at Andy.]_ Never let us back down either.

**Andy:** _[quietly approving]_ You come from warriors.

**Nile:** _[looks at her, accepting.]_ Yeah. I do.

**Andy:** _[nods, looks away, gazes outward.]_ I can’t remember what my mother looked like. Or my sisters. _[small headshake, slight huff]_ None of them.

**Nile:** _[looks at Andy, sympathetic, looks down]_ Time steals it all away, I guess.

**Andy:** _[small huff as she bows head, thoughtful]_ It’s not what time steals... it’s what it leaves behind. _[raises head, gazes outward]_ Things you can’t forget. I gave up searching for her. _[Nile turns to stare at her. Andy is still gazing outward, then her eyes close in pain.]_ I made Quynh a promise and I broke it. _[slight head-shake as her mouth firms, nods slightly.]_ I’m getting Joe and Nicky back. Whatever it takes.

**Nile:** ‘Whatever it takes’? _[turns head to watch Andy.]_

**Andy:** _[looks at Nile directly, quietly resolute.]_ Yes.

**Booker:** _[out of sight, rustle of brush]_ Guys, I found something. _[Appears from the mine.]_ An address just outside of London. 

_[Andy stands, picks up the chocolate bar wrapper from the hood, holds out her hand to Nile, who clings to her phone, staring at the picture of her mother and brother.]_

**Andy:** We gotta go.

_[After a moment, Nile puts the phone in Andy’s hand. Andy puts it in her right coat pocket and strides away.]_

1:18:27 minutes

_[Aerial view -- fields, lots of trees, a few isolated large houses, small town in the distance. SURREY ENGLAND appears on screen.]_

_[Rear view of silver Audi, driving fast. It turns, pulls up and stops under some trees, near a metal farm-gate, with a large two-story house beyond. All three get out. Booker opens the boot, reaches into a carry-bag, pulls out a pistol, checks it. As Andy comes around, he hands it to her; she puts it in her back waistband. Booker picks up another pistol, checks it.]_

**Andy:** Go scout the back. _[Booker puts the pistol in his back waistband, heads out as Nile watches.]_

_[Andy reaches into the boot, pulls out a rifle, hands it to Nile. Nile takes it and stares down at it as if it’s unfamiliar. She shakes her head minutely, takes a breath, holds it out to Andy, who is evaluating the terrain rather than looking at Nile.]_

**Nile:** I can’t do this.

**Andy:** _[flicks her eyes to her.]_ Yes, you can. 

**Nile:** _[Pushes the rifle closer to Andy, voice firm, determined.]_ I mean, I’m not doing this.

_[Andy looks down at rifle, looks at Nile, blindsided; takes the rifle. Nile turns away from her.]_

**Andy:** _[softly but firmly]_ You’re one of us now. _[Nile shakes head minutely, but turns toward her. Andy steps closer, speaks more urgently.]_ We would do the same for you.

**Nile:** _[louder, angry]_ I never even had a choice.

**Andy:** None of us had a choice. _[Nile turns away. Andy slams the boot closed.]_ There isn’t a choice.

**Nile:** The day I died, _[turns, facing Andy down, intense]_ I killed the guy that killed me. _[Andy really listens to Nile, watching closely.]_ They try to condition us, you know? Thousands of hours of training. Two shots, quick kill. _[Deep breath.]_ But they can’t teach you how to live with it.

**Andy:** _[quickly, reaching for Nile, right hand on left shoulder, speaking urgently. Moves closer; they’re face-to-face.]_ You’ve gotta feel it, Nile. Every one.

**Nile:** _[shaking head]_ I saw what you did in that church. _[Andy retreats slightly, drops her hand, mouth firms.]_ All those bodies. _[Voice sounds desperate.]_ Is that supposed to be me? Is that what we’re supposed to do, and we don’t even know why?

**Andy:** _[moves closer again, speaks urgently.]_ You think knowing is gonna make you sleep better at night?

**Nile:** _[shakes head slowly, speaks softly.]_ I can’t be that. _[Andy drops her head and sighs.]_ My family... _[pauses, swallows]_ they’re gonna get old and I won’t, but it’ll be years before they realize that. _[Andy watches her, carefully emotionless. She blinks. Nile’s voice is pleading.]_ I still have time with them.

**Andy:** _[flicks her eyes up to Nile, gives a tiny nod, reaches for the pistol in her belt, holds it out to Nile, who takes it.]_ Here. Take the car, and when you ditch it, ditch the weapons.

**Nile:** _[Deep breath, nods head, looks at Andy directly.]_ You gonna be okay?

**Andy:** Always. 

_[Andy carries a rifle as she walks past Nile, who turns to watch as she opens the gate and slips through. Nile opens her mouth as if she might change her mind, call to Andy, then sighs, looks down, lets the impulse die.]_

_[Booker moves past a green hedge, sees Andy coming from other direction. He gesture her forward; she comes to meet him.]_

_[sound of car engine accelerating away; Andy turns head to look back, then faces Booker.]_

**Booker:** _[quietly]_ Where’s Nile?

**Andy:** _[sharp, short headshake]_ You and me, Book. Now and always.

_[Andy moves past Booker and takes the lead. Pauses in the cover of a large tree-trunk.]_

_[Nile drives car. GPS voice says, “Guildford station in one mile.” Sees sign for security checkpoint, pulls car over and stops at the side of the road; area seems relatively isolated. Nile unbuckles seatbelt, grabs pistol from the passenger (left) seat, goes to the rear, opens boot. Starts shoving bits and pieces into the carry-bag. Removes magazine from her pistol to put them separately in the bag, then stops and stares at the magazine.]_

**Nile:** Empty? _[She stares at the pistol. Mentally replays Booker handing pistol to Andy, Andy putting it in her belt.]_ Shit. _[Stares again at pistol and empty magazine. Her voice shows realization.]_ Andy.

1:21:53 minutes

_[View of Copley’s house; ground floor is red brick; part of wall is glass panels. Through them we see a curved staircase to the next floor, which has wide expanses of windows. Booker, handgun extended, followed by Andy, rifle extended, slide silently across the floor. Booker remains covering the ground floor as Andy starts up the stairs beside him, then he follows. They climb silently, cautiously, alert for any threat.]_

_[The room is large, well-lighted, with windows on the two walls that we see. The area includes a piano, a set of glass shelves with a few artifacts displayed, several padded chairs, and a table with keyboard and monitor. Copley is standing, perusing a wall-sized bulletin board in large two sections; the board is completely covered with papers and pictures. Copley stands perusing it, his back to the door and staircase.]_

_[Andy reaches top of stairs, takes cover behind the closed half of a pair of double doors; the other door is standing open. A head gesture tells Booker to head ‘that’ direction. He starts, then Andy slips around the door. She checks both sides of the room, then focuses on / aims at Copley.]_

**Andy:** Where are they?

**Copley:** _[turns slowly, casually to face her. Hands in pockets of his sweater, obviously no threat, he takes a few steps toward her, speaks softly.]_ Andromache the Scythian. The eternal warrior.

**Andy:** Book?

**Booker:** _[in doorway behind her.]_ I’m right here.

_[Andy glances at the bulletin board; easily visible is a copy of an ID card from Ceska Republika-- an earlier Andy, with chin-length hair. Her gun-hand relaxes for a moment, but she shakes off her shock/surprise, lifts the rifle and aims directly at Copley.]_

**Andy:** _[steps forward, quiet threat]_ Where are Joe and Nicky?

_[Sound of a shot; Andy cries out as her body jerks and blood appears on her shirt, low on her left side. Booker lowers his handgun, quickly tucks it in the front of his belt, pulls out a zip-tie. As Andy staggers from the impact of the shot and drops her rifle, Booker comes up behind her, grabs her arms and pulls them back.]_

**Andy:** _[struggling]_ What are you doing?! _[Andy continues to struggle, but Booker drags/forces her to her knees...]_ WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

**Booker:** Andy, calm down! _[...and zip-ties her hands behind her.]_

**Andy:** _[shrieks]_ NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

_[Booker kneels behind Andy as he holds her on the floor, right arm around her neck as his left holds her left arm. She exclaims in wordless anger as he brings his face close to her ear, tries to calm her with a quiet, “Shh.”]_

**Andy:** _[raging, still trying to struggle away]_ You set us up!

**Booker:** _[quietly, in her ear.]_ Listen. Please listen.

_[Copley has watched dispassionately, hands remaining in his pockets. He walks closer, speaks calmly.]_

**Copley:** When my wife died, I devoted myself to your work. _[Andy glares at him as she jerks out of Booker’s hold. Booker lets her go, pushes his hair out of his face, starts to rise.]_ I learned your secret history, _[Andy stares, appalled.]_ written in the margins, _[View of bulletin board. GREECE. Illustration of woman on horseback, wielding a sword. Front of a theatre playbill (?) reads: ANDROMAQVE and TRAGEDIE. A xerox-enlarged copy (?) of a bordered circle with woman’s head inside and ‘ANDROMACHA’ and ‘HETC.VX’ along the circle’s border -- an ancient coin(?).]_ passed on by legend. What was dismissed as a myth, _[Andy exhales loudly as she takes it in]_ was in fact, immortality. You could help end... needless suffering.

_[Andy looks up, then closes her eyes as her breath catches in pain. Her head sinks; she looks weary. Slowly her body starts to fold -- she tries to catch it and hold herself upright -- then gives in and curls downward until her head rests on the carpet, beside her right knee; she gasps. Booker stands behind Andy, watching her. He looks a little concerned, raises his eyes to Copley, who has a slight frown, but ignores the issue.]_

**Copley:** Humanity needs you to share your gifts. 

**Andy:** _[raises her head long enough to speak in a tight, pained voice.]_ Humanity can screw itself. _[She groans, shifts her body, and lets herself roll to the left. She’s now sitting on the floor, leaning against the seat of one of the padded chairs. She continues to gasp heavily, with occasional groans, from the pain of the unhealing wound.]_

**Booker:** Andy. _[Approaches her, starts to bend down.]_

**Andy:** _[raises her head, speaks sharply as she kicks out at him.]_ Don’t! you fucking coward. _[Booker steps back from her anger, takes a deep breath. Andy breathes heavily, shakes her head, whispers.]_ Why? Why, Book?

**Booker:** _[steps forward, speaks placatingly.]_ Andy, listen --

**Andy:** _[kicks out again, shouts]_ WHY?

**Booker:** _[goes to a knee beside/in front of her, speaks with quiet force.]_ If Merrick can discover how we keep living, he might find a way how to end it. _[Andy looks at him sorrowfully, takes a deep breath, but finds nothing to say. Booker leans closer to her.]_ Hey. That’s what you wanted.

**Andy:** _[shakes her head slowly, speaks softly, barely more than a whisper.]_ Oh, Book. What have you done? _[Deep breath, sharp gasp, another deep breath. Tears in her eyes.]_ Not like this, Book.

**Booker:** _[drops his head, notices, flings her jacket aside, reaches out to the growing bloodstain on Andy’s shirt.]_ What’s going on? You’re still bleeding. _[Andy looks aside, still breathing heavily, seems less concerned about her wound than Booker’s betrayal.]_ You’re still bleeding. _[Worried.]_ What? Shit. _[Louder, to Copley.]_ She’s not healing. 

**Copley:** What? _[Comes to them, looks down.]_

_[Andy has slumped more, closed her eyes, as if she’s distancing herself from the whole situation. Booker pushes her jacket farther aside, lifts his blood-stained hands.]_

**Booker:** Look at this. She’s not healing. Go get something. Go on. Go on! _[Copley hurries away. Booker comes closer, hands and knees in front of her, face-to-face.]_ Andy, look at me. Look at me. _[Andy raises her eyes to him, face closed off, eyes remote.]_ Why didn’t you tell me?

**Andy:** _[shakes her head, raises left shoulder in a small shrug. Her voice is resigned, accepting.]_ It wouldn’t have changed anything. 

**Booker:** _[shouts]_ Hurry up!

_[Copley comes with a small towel, kneels next to Booker, presses it over the wound. Andy groans.]_

**Booker:** Come on. Careful. Have to get her out of here. _[Booker and Copley grab Andy’s arms, start to lift her.]_

_[The other door slams open as Keane and several armed soldiers walk in, followed by Merrick. Booker turned at the noise, stands as he sees them.]_

**Keane:** _[points at Booker.]_ Secure him. Nice work, Copley. 

_[Two soldiers grab Booker, pull his arms behind him, zip-tie his hands; he doesn’t struggle.]_

**Merrick:** _[Walks to Andy, looks down at her.]_ Look at you. 

**Copley:** _[still keeping pressure on Andy’s wound, looks up.]_ She’s wounded. Gunshot. 

**Merrick:** Why isn’t she healing? 

**Copley:** _[raises eyes to Andy’s face.]_ I don’t know. 

_[Andy glares up at Merrick, still breathing deeply, doesn’t speak.]_

**Booker:** _[held tightly between two soldiers.]_ She’s not immortal. 

**Merrick:** What do you mean, ‘not immortal’? 

**Booker:** I mean it’s gone. 

_[Entire room seems to pause. Merrick stares at him, calculating. Andy’s head is turned away from everyone in the room, still distancing herself. Copley continues pressure on the wound, but makes no movement. Merrick turns, bends to look at Andy’s wound.]_

**Merrick:** You’re a bloody mess. _[Slowly squats in front of Andy. She deliberately doesn’t look at him.]_ Now, how old are you?

**Andy:** _[Breathes deeply, gasps, looks at him -- danger in her eyes, despite her circumstances. Speaks quietly.]_ Come closer and I’ll tell you. 

**Merrick:** _[face falls, taken aback. Stands.]_ Let’s get them home.

**Booker:** Let her go.

**Keane:** Cover me.

**Andy:** _[immediately defensive, yanks away from Copley, watches Keane approaching, pushes herself back.]_ No! No! 

**Booker:** _[struggles to go help her, the soldiers hold him.]_ Let her go! _[Soldier punches him in stomach; he grunts and folds over.]_

_[Andy struggles violently, kicking and thrashing, interspersing shouts of ‘No!’ with roars that sound like an enraged animal as Keane tries to hold her still, subdue her. She continues to twist and kick, roaring her fury, but can’t escape. As he holds her head (relatively) still with a hand on her neck, an injector hisses at the side of her neck. Her eyes close and body goes limp as she loses consciousness.]_

**Booker:** _[still trying to reach her but held by the soldiers, speaks in strained voice.]_ I’m sorry, Andy. I’m sorry.

**Soldier:** Hold him still. _[Booker grunts as injector hisses at the side of his neck.]_

**Copley:** _[Crosses quickly to Merrick, speaks urgently.]_ Mr. Merrick, look. If it’s true and she’s somehow not immortal anymore, then she might not survive the testing. This will be murder. 

_[Two soldiers lift Andy.]_

**Merrick:** As if the CIA never disappeared anyone. As if they never conducted covert research. 

**Copley:** No. _[shakes head, firmer.]_ No, this is not what we agreed. 

**Merrick:** _[looks over Copley’s shoulder, tiny nod.]_ We don’t stop. _[He turns away.]_

_[Keane steps behind Copley, coldcocks him with a pistol-butt to his neck. Copley drops, unconscious. Merrick walks out, followed by the remaining soldiers.]_

1:26:45 minutes

_[Street level, people walking past Merrick Pharmaceuticals.]_

_[Kozak sitting at a table, monitor in front of her, entering data (?). Door bursts open, Guard enters, followed by others forcing Andy and Booker inside. Kozak turns at the intrusion, Joe and Nicky raise their heads to see what’s happening.]_

**Nicky:** Andy!

**Joe:** What happened?

_[The guards sit Andy down forcibly on the bed next to Nicky. She grunts/groans at the impact.]_

**Booker:** She’s not healing. _[He is placed on the bed to Andy’s right. He stares at the ceiling as the guards start strapping his arms and legs to the bed; voice indicates his self-disgust.]_ I killed her. 

_[Andy is also being strapped to her bed. As Kozak lifts her shirt to examine her wound, Andy raises her head to look at it. Nicky and Joe stare in dismay, then slowly lower their heads to their beds.]_

**Kozak:** I need to get a line in her and stop the bleeding.

**Merrick:** Keep her alive at all costs. Don’t you see? Between Sudan and now, something’s changed. Find out what.

_[Andy stares at him, coldly, still seems distanced from what’s happening.]_

**Kozak:** This will stabilize her, _[hangs an I.V bag but doesn’t insert a line]_ but I have to stitch her and give her antibiotics.

**Merrick:** Good. 

**Nicky:** _[watching Andy.]_ All things die. 

**Merrick:** _[looks surprised that one of his lab animals has spoken.]_ What was that? 

**Nicky:** _[shifts gaze to Merrick.]_ Everything has to die, Mr. Merrick. _[He speaks softly, gently.]_ The only reason we haven’t... _[slight smile]_ is that it’s not our time yet. If it’s now Andromache’s, nothing you can do will stop it. 

**Merrick:** You’d be surprised by what my products can do. _[Joe watches, judging him.]_ I will carve slices off you for years to get what I want. _[Nicky is calm, merely blinks.]_ Your time is coming. 

**Nicky:** As is yours. 

**Merrick:** _[rattled, blustering.]_ I expect results! _[storms out, followed by most of the guards.]_

**Booker:** _[turns his head toward her, pleading.]_ Andy... 

_[Andy stares at ceiling, refusing to look at or speak to him.]_

1:28:07 minutes

_[Outside view of Copley’s house.]_

_[Inside, Copley sits in a chair, bowed over, elbows on knees, holding a towel (?) to the left side of his head and neck.]_

_[Nile comes through open door, pistol pointed. She cocks the pistol, which alerts Copley. He looks up, lunges for a rifle left behind on the floor, but Nile quickly steps forward and kicks it out of his reach.]_

**Nile:** Uh-uh. 

_[Copley, on his knees, raises his hands as Nile aims her pistol at him.]_

**Nile:** Are you Copley?

**Copley:** _[afraid as Nile advances on him, pushes himself up to sit in the chair, speaks breathlessly.]_ He sent you to finish me off.

**Nile:** Who? _[Looks down, notices the blood on the carpet.]_ Where’s Andy? And Booker?

**Copley:** Who are you?

_[Nile takes a breath, firms her mouth, shoots down into her own left foot.]_

**Nile:** Ahh! Son of a bitch!

**Copley:** _[amazed, pointing at her foot.]_ You’re another one.

**Nile:** Yeah. _[breathes deeply]_ I’m new. _[Deep breath, advances on Copley, voice determined.]_ Where are they?

**Copley:** They’re in a lab... being tested. _[Nile’s mouth opens, shocked; she gasps.]_ Tortured. _[Nile lifts pistol higher, ready to -- she’s not sure what.]_ Merrick... he only cares about her immortality, not what she’s done with it.

**Nile:** ‘What she’s done with it’?

_[Copley is showing Nile his bulletin board and explaining his research. Nile keeps her gun on him, frowning, apparently not trusting him.]_

**Copley:** Montenegro. Nineteen-sixteen. She saved a family of refugees, whose daughter would discover the technique for the early detection of diabetes. _[Nile keeps her pistol on him, intently ready for any misstep. He points to another area.]_ This one; her grandson would save three hundred and seventeen people from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. _[Voice becomes ever more passionate as he continues. Nile relaxes a tiny bit, starts to absorb what he’s saying.]_ This guy -- this man prevented an accidental nuclear exchange in nineteen seventy-eight, and likely saved civilization as a result. _[Nile takes her eyes off him, gazes across the mass of information on the board, slowly lowers her pistol, stunned and amazed.]_ The famous... and... the unknown names. _[Nile approaches the board, scanning across all the newspaper clippings and pictures.]_ She saves a life -- two or three generations later, we reap the benefits. 

**Nile:** _[huffs, moving along the board, checking out more of the information. Her voice is awed.]_ She’s in it. She can’t see it. _[turns to Copley]_ But you could! _[voice is accusing]_ You could and you gave them up!

**Copley:** I thought it could be the end of disease. _[Nile jerks her head, negating the poor excuse.]_ I thought it could be the end of suffering. _[Hesitates, words come out painfully, distressed.]_ She couldn’t talk... at the end... my wife. She couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t do... anything. It was supposed to be a gift... to the world.

**Nile:** _[quietly angry]_ It wasn’t your gift to give.

**Copley:** _[sighs, shakes head.]_ Why would the immortality end?

**Nile:** _[audible breath.]_ What?

**Copley:** _[turns to look at blood on carpet.]_ She wouldn’t stop bleeding.

**Nile:** _[follows his gaze. Voice urgent.]_ Is she alive?

**Copley:** I know where they are.

1:30:43 minutes

_[Silver Audi drive up, parks by curb. Copley exits driver’s side (right), Nile from passenger side. Each opens the rear door on their side. Copley grabs a khaki carry-bag, Nile grabs Andy’s labrys in its carry-case, slings it over her right shoulder. She pauses a second, looks up at the many stories above, while Copley uses a key-card in the outer door. He opens door, walks in, Nile quickly follows.]_

_[In a security complex: two men sit in front of multiple monitors, with views of hallways and rooms, using switches to change views from one place to another as they continually check for threats.]_

_[Nile and Copley are in a custodial/storage area (?) -- mop bucket nearby, metal cases piled on a wheeled platform, two doors for elevators. Labrys leans against wall. Nile squats by carry-bag, looks for security before she opens the bag.]_

**Copley:** _[quietly]_ There’s no cameras here. That’s how he gets people in and out unseen.

**Nile:** _[unzips carry-bag, pulls out a pistol.]_ How many shooters on site?

**Copley:** At least thirty. _[Nile checks pistol, puts it on floor, pulls out rifle.]_ Their boss, Keane, is ex Special Forces.

**Nile:** _[unfolds rifle stock.]_ What kind of CEO rolls around with his own personal army?

**Copley:** These days? _[bends down, takes the pistol from the floor, checks magazine.]_ Most of them.

**Nile:** _[stands, confronts him.]_ What are you doing?

**Copley:** I’m gonna make this right.

**Nile:** _[firmly]_ Your dying won’t do that.

**Copley:** But I’m supposed to let you walk in there by yourself? _[starts to walk around her.]_

**Nile:** _[stands in his way, faces him directly.]_ Out of the two of us, I’m the one who will walk out of there again, one way or another. _[She’s holding the rifle in her left hand, holds out her right, waiting for the pistol. When he doesn’t respond, she looks down at her empty hand, then up to him. Speaks firmly.]_ You got me here. _[He still hesitates, then hands it to her. She tucks it in her back waistband.]_

**Copley:** There’s a private lab on the fifteenth floor. It’s empty. _[Uses key-card; card-reader beeps.]_ This will get you access. _[Gives her the card.]_

_[Elevator door opens. Nile grabs labrys, slings it over her left shoulder.]_

**Nile:** You should get out of here before the noise starts. _[Steps into elevator, presses button for 15.]_

**Copley:** _[quietly, as Nile takes a stance in the center of the car, adjusts the labrys-strap on her shoulder.]_ Good luck, Ms. Freeman. 

“Going Down Fighting” by Andrea Wasse X Phlotilla plays in background:  
If it’s the end of the world,  
I’m going down fighting.  
With my finger on the trigger,  
You’ll know I gave it a shot. 

If it’s the end of it all,  
God knows I’m trying.  
‘Cause this world  
Is all that we got.  
‘Cause this world  
Is all that we got.

_[Door closes, elevator starts up. Nile twists her neck side to side, shrugs her shoulders, breathes deeply, drops her head back then raises it again -- preparing for battle. She stares straight ahead as she waits.]_

_[Door opens. Nile steps out cautiously, looking around. Walks forward casually, turns a corner, she sees three armed guards standing, chatting in a hallway. Her right hand holds the rifle behind her back.]_

**Guard:** Floor’s closed. How’d you get up here?

**Nile:** _[casually looks to the side.]_ Sorry, I was just looking -- 

**Guard:** _[barks, all three guards take aim.]_ Hands! Let me see your hands.

_[Nile takes a breath, slowly brings her right hand into view. Two shots. Nile falls on her back.]_

**Guard:** Zero, this is Alpha Two-two.

**Monitor-watcher:** Sir. _[Monitor shows Nile on floor, guards beyond her.]_

**Keane:** _[walks forward, grabs radio from console, speaks into it.]_ Zero. Send.

**Guard:** We’ve had an intruder. Target is down. 

**Keane:** See if you can get an I.D off the body.

_[Guard kicks Nile’s gun-hand, starts patting down her body. Nile brings right leg up, kicks him in the chest, shoots him as he staggers back, rises to knees, shoots other two -- all headshots.]_

**Keane:** Shit! _[into radio]_ TAC teams, find Merrick now! 

_[Nile grabs pistol, slings labrys over left shoulder, checks pistol, moves to shelter of wall, peers around corner.]_

_[In the lab, Andy is still ignoring everything, staring at nothing, Nicky is lying quietly. Joe has lifted his upper body as far as he can, shouting across the other two to Booker.]_

**Joe:** You selfish piece of shit! 

**Nicky:** _[speaks over him, strongly, but not shouting.]_ Joe, leave it. Please! 

**Booker:** What would you know of the weight of all these years alone?

**Joe:** _[laughs without humor. Andy is still ignoring everything.]_ You’re a very pathetic man, Booker.

**Nicky:** Joe, stop. 

**Booker:** You and Nicky always had each other, right? And all we had... was our grief. 

**Joe:** Well, now you have even more. 

_[Nile proceeds down hallway, pistol extended. Turns a corner, goes through a doorway; Merrick is there. Seems to be some kind of lab -- long counters, beakers, jars, and bottles on top, boxes/containers for various items. Nile aims at him.]_

**Merrick:** Who the hell are you? 

**Nile:** Where’s the lab?

_[Guards burst through door across room, start firing. Nile ducks and fires back, drops labrys as she runs.]_

_[In the med-lab, Andy hears the gunfire, reacts, turns her head toward sound. Kozak, in front of her computer, also notices, turns toward the sound. Joe, Nicky, Booker don’t react. Sleeping? How much time has passed since Joe was shouting at Booker?]_

_[Nile runs, firing behind her, heading toward metal doors with a ‘Restricted Access’ sign. Keane runs in, fires, hits her just as she reaches the doors, stumbles through, falls to ground, the doors swing shut behind her.]_

**Keane:** Shit! _[together with Merrick.]_ There’s another one!

_[Nile groans as she pushes herself up.]_

**Keane:** She’s going for the rest of them. Doctor’s lab, now! _[Guards head out. To Merrick.]_ I’m locking you down in the penthouse until this is over. 

_[Keane grabs Merrick’s arm, but Merrick stops him for a moment, goes to pick up the labrys case, smiles widely, tucks it under his arm and follows Keane out.]_

_[Nile finds nothing important -- IE the people she’s looking for -- in the room. She runs to a door across the room that has a card-reader beside it, uses key-card, pulls door open outward. Then runs through an inward door into the med-lab. All raise their heads, surprised. Nile pauses, surprised and relieved to see them. Andy's expression is disbelief.]_

**Booker:** Nile. _[sees guard aiming through open door.]_ Behind you!

_[Nile grunts as she is hit, fires back, shuts the door. Kozak, alarmed, rises, looks frantically for a weapon, grabs a syringe from tray next to her.]_

**Nicky:** _[shouts]_ Nile!

_[Doctor closes on Nile, syringe raised. Nile blocks her raised right arm with her left hand, knocks her down and out with a strong right punch.]_

**Nile:** _[runs to Andy, starts unbuckling her restraints.]_ There’s four shooters at the door and more coming. _[Andy closes her eyes, makes no move to rise. Her shirt is askew; Nile notices the dressing on her wound. Nile flips the pistol, offers it to Andy, who turns her head away.]_ Andy. _[The men have their heads raised, watching. Andy keeps her eyes closed. Nile frowns, lifts Andy’s right hand and pushes the pistol into it.]_ Immortal or not, you made a promise. Whatever it takes. _[Andy opens her eyes, looks at Nile, but still passive.]_ I’ve seen it, Andy. _[Nile pulls another pistol from her back waistband, cocks it.]_ I know all the good you’ve done. _[Andy stares at her, weighing, evaluating.]_

_[Door bursts open, four guards rushing. Nile turns beside Andy. Together they raise their pistols, two shots each, all four go down. Andy keeps her eyes on them while she reaches over to unbuckle her left arm. Nile unbuckles the restraints over her legs.]_

**Andy:** _[eying her]_ You came back.

**Nile:** _[a level look, flicks her eyes to the others.]_ Yeah.

_[Nile goes to release Booker as Andy goes to Nicky, unbuckles the strap over his right arm. Nicky reaches to unbuckle his other straps, while Andy tucks the pistol in her back waistband, heads toward Joe.]_

**Booker:** _[as Nile is releasing the strap that holds his chest and left arm.]_ No, just leave me here.

**Nile:** _[turns on him, irritated.]_ No man left behind. _[She leaves him to take care of the rest and goes to guard the door.]_

_[Nicky throws off the blue hospital drape, sits up to unbuckle his leg restraints.]_

**Joe:** _[loudly -- not quite shouting -- as Andy unbuckles the strap on his right arm.]_ Well there’s always a first time. He’s nothing but a traitor. That’s -- 

**Andy:** Stop! _[Her voice is firm. She leans over him to unbuckle his left arm, looks him directly in the face.]_ This is not the time for it. We don’t get a say in when it ends. We never have. _[Nile is at the door, on guard but watching Andy and the men. Nicky is close to her; he’s put on his shirt, stoops to take a pistol from one of the guards, checks it. Andy unbuckles Joe’s legs as he pulls off the cardiac sensors.]_ But we can control how we live. _[Joe leaves the bed while Andy pulls her pistol from waistband and crosses to Booker, still lying passive on the bed; he hasn’t even unbuckled all his restraints.]_ And to be honest, Book, you and I -- we’ve been doing a shit job of it. _[Checks her pistol, cocks it.]_ Now get up. Let’s go. _[By the door with Nile and Nicky, Joe has also put on his shirt and grabbed a pistol from a guard. All three watch the confrontation.]_ We stop Merrick here and now, or he never stops coming after us.

_[Booker thinks a moment, then quickly reaches to unbuckle his straps.]_

_[Andy squats, pulls open a guard’s pocket to look for ammunition, finds nothing. Stands, breathing heavily. Lifts her shirt-hem, checks the dressing.]_

**Nicky:** Andy... _[quietly, concerned, eyes flick to the dressing.]_ Are you sure?

**Andy:** This changes nothing. _[short head-lift.]_ We walk out of here like always. _[deep breath.]_ Together.

_[All four are watching, grouped near the door, concern in their eyes. She starts toward them.]_

**Andy:** Let’s get this motherfucker. 

_[They head out, moving purposefully, Nile in the lead, Nicky, Joe, Booker, and Andy.]_

1:36:45 minutes

_[Merrick in his penthouse, with two guards across the room. He slowly picks up Andy’s labrys, gazing lovingly at it as he holds it high.]_

_[Nile enters a darkened room, carrying a rifle, followed by Nicky with a pistol, Joe with a pistol, Booker with a rifle, Andy with a pistol. They take up positions to either side of metal double doors.]_

**Joe:** _[quietly]_ Cover Andy.

_[Nile uses her shoulder to burst open the door and charges into the next room; it looks like the lab where she confronted Merrick. She’s followed by Nicky, Booker -- who kicks open the other door -- Joe, and Andy. Nile breaks left, Nicky breaks right, Booker left, Joe right, Andy straight down the center.]_

_[As Nile remains on guard, Booker crosses behind her -- letting her know with a quick hand to her shoulder so she moves farther into the room -- heading toward the doors across the room. Nicky takes a low stance, guarding their left, Joe covers their right but keeps an eye on Andy as she crosses behind Booker and heads for the doors.]_

_[Andy and Booker exit the open doors -- which are set back in a short alcove -- together. Andy waits at the corner against the left wall; two guards are walking down the hall toward their position, rifles raised. As the nearest comes opposite her, she grabs his right arm with her left, twists her body to throw him off-balance to her left. Booker shoots him as he stumbles past, while Andy steps past the corner and shoots the other guard.]_

_[Joe is next out of the alcove, aims hall-right, then Nile guards hall-left, Nicky aims hall-right beside Joe, they shoot two guards who come running around the next corner. Andy puts another magazine in her pistol as she moves hall-left past Nile, followed by Nile and Booker, then Joe and Nicky.]_

_[As another guard comes from a door-alcove to her left with his left gun-hand extended, Andy grabs his wrist with her left hand, raises it high to spin under it, clubs him across the back with her pistol, holds onto him to keep him off-balance, shoots the next guard coming down the hall, drops the first guard’s arm, turns and shoots him, then heads down hall-(original)-left.]_

_[Nicky and Joe are following Andy and Nile from hall-right while Booker remains on guard that direction. Another guard comes from the left door-alcove. Nicky grabs his gun-hand, lifts it high, spins under the raised arm while Joe shoots him, goes to a knee to grab the rifle of the guard Andy shot, raises it above his shoulder for Joe. Joe takes it, turns to cover their rear (original hall-right) as Booker sprints past following Andy and Nile.]_

_[Nile has taken position behind a stack of metal crates (?), shoots an approaching guard, runs forward while Nicky and Joe guard their rear. Booker takes out a guard that comes from a door-alcove to Nile’s left. Two guards appear from cross-alcoves ahead, and Andy is in front of her with no cover.]_

**Nile:** _[shouts]_ Andy! 

_[Nile grabs Andy’s right shoulder and spins herself in front of Andy, cries out as the bullets hit her, falls against the wall with a grimace, but aims and shoots one of the guards as Andy shoots the other. Andy looks back; Joe and Nicky are under fire at the rear. Nicky looks over his shoulder to check on her, jerks as he takes a bullet. He and Joe shoot two guards, then retreat toward Andy’s position, Joe and Booker guarding the rear while Nicky dashes forward in front of Andy and Nile. Nicky goes to a knee just beyond a set of lab doors to his left, guarding the hall, as Booker, Joe, Nile, and Andy head through the doors; as soon as Andy has passed, Nicky backs up and follows them.]_

_[It’s another lab. They spread out as they move through the lab, then converge on the opposite doors. Joe pulls the door inward, and Booker leads out with Nile and Andy behind him. Booker turns, clubs a guard to his right with his rifle-butt, shoots a guard in front of him. Nile confronts a guard, knocks aside his gun-hand (pistol) with her rifle, shoots him on the back-swing, lunges past his right side, uses her right hand to grab the back of his neck and shove him forward. He runs forward off-balance; Nicky ducks, lifts, and flips him over his right shoulder, continues moving forward; Joe, in the doorway behind Nicky, shoots the guard as he lands on the floor, moves forward.]_

_[Andy, moving along the wall (to the right of the most recent door), shoots a guard point-blank, grabs his vest, lifts her right knee into his chest as she drops onto her back and flips him over her head. Booker shoots his partner as Andy rolls and rises to her feet. Andy releases the empty magazine, lets it fall; Booker goes to a knee to check a dead guard’s vest pockets, hands her a fresh magazine. Andy moves past him, he stands and follows.]_

_[Nile barely pauses as she reaches down to grab a fresh magazine from another guard’s pocket. Nicky takes a rifle from another guard, hands it to Joe. Nile slams the fresh magazine into her rifle, stands against a wall, peers around the edge of the wall. (It looks free-standing, with boxes visible in the room beyond; seems to be another end/edge into the room beyond 15-20 feet behind Nile.) Behind her, Andy squats leaning against the wall and breathing deeply; Joe, Nicky, then Booker deploy farther along the wall; Booker and Nicky are watching the rear. Next to Andy, Joe looks down, concerned. She looks up, nods her readiness, stands; they start to move out just as the wall explodes between Joe and Nicky.]_

_[All are thrown aside/down by the blast. Joe, Nicky and Andy are tossed through the air; we lose sight of Joe and Nicky. Andy lands hard, bounces to a face-down position on her arms, pushes herself to her side, gasping as she tries to recover enough to rise.]_

_[Keane is on the other side of the wall, holding a rifle, gas mask (?) on his forehead. Other guards flank him as he peers through the hole, into the billowing smoke/dust from the explosion.]_

_[Nile and Booker, farthest from the blast were not knocked completely off their feet, but they are bent over and coughing. They force themselves upright, unable to see through the increasing smoke.]_

**Booker:** Man! Andy!

_[Booker heads through the smoke to where he thinks Andy might be; Keane fires through the hole, although the smoke is too thick for good aim. Booker finds Andy just as Nile reaches her from the other side; they grab her under the arms, help her up, and start moving away.]_

**Booker:** Joe, Nicky, we’re moving out!

_[Joe and Nicky, barely visible through the smoke, are both lying stunned / unconscious / dead (?).]_

**Keane:** Assault team, move! You two, flank.

_[The guards head out another door for Andy, Nile, and Booker, while Keane steps through the hole, pulling his gas mask down as he moves slowly forward. Sees Joe lying face down, unmoving. Keane holsters his gun (?) and pulls something (?) from the top right of his vest.]_

_[Nicky, on his back, coughs and rolls to his right side to get his hands under him and rise. Keane steps forward, viciously kicks him in the head, throwing him onto his back. Nicky coughs as Keane steps back, Nicky tries to rise again, Kean steps forward and kicks him violently in the stomach.]_

_[Joe, behind Keane, is beginning to move. He starts to push himself up, sees Keane kick Nicky for a third time as Nicky has risen to his knees. As Nicky goes down, he grabs Keane by the waistband (?), pulls him down, too, throws Keane to the floor, gets on his knees to hit Keane with a hard right cross. As Nicky comes around with another punch, Keane uses his left arm to knock Nicky’s right arm aside, gets a foot into Nicky’s chest and kicks him backward; Nicky flies through the air and slams against stack of boxed supplies (?) on a wheeled platform.]_

_[Joe pushed himself up as Nicky went flying. As Keane starts to rise, Joe grabs Keane’s face with his left hand, rips off his gas mask, sends it flying. Keane is thrown off balance, but recovers to throw a hard left punch, followed by a right into Joe’s throat; Joe recoils. Nicky staggers to his feet, throws himself at Keane, grabs him around the waist to pull him down. Keane twists out of the hold, knocking Nicky to the floor, continues the twist to straddle Nicky’s body, stomps on Nicky’s stomach with his left knee. As Nicky curls upward, gasping, Keane shoves his pistol into Nicky’s open mouth and shoots him.]_

_[Joe is pushing himself up just in time to see that. Keane is coughing, struggling to breathe; he staggers away through the hole in the wall.]_

_[Andy, Nile and Booker stumble into another lab, still coughing, still close-grouped to support Andy. Nile moves forward, rifle ready; Booker still holds Andy’s arm as they follow. Guards appear at door behind them, shoot; Booker moves between them and Andy, staggers as he’s hit. Andy ducks through nearby door, Booker staggers inside as he is hit again.]_

_[Nile is on a knee beside the door, firing out at the guards as Booker scrambles past on hands and knees. Andy has no gun after the explosion; she crouches next to a fat cylinder of liquid nitrogen, looks around for a weapon, sees a fire ax on the wall. She grabs it from its cubby and hefts it, evaluating. Nile turns her head to say something (?) but is under too heavy fire; she turns back to shooting.]_

_[Andy walks past Booker, who is leaning against a cylinder, still recovering from his wounds (?), toward the door across the room -- just in time to meet a guard advancing into the room from that door. Andy swings the ax and cuts him down, then heads toward the door.]_

**Andy:** Enough of this shit.

_[As Andy approaches the door, another guard comes in; she hits him once, lets the momentum spin her, hits him low, then high; he’s down. She flips her hair out of her eyes as she heads out the door.]_

_[In the other lab, Nicky is still dead. Joe, on hands and knees, goes to him, reaches out, hesitates, afraid to touch. Nicky revives with a gasp, and coughs; Joe sighs his relief. Nicky grips Joe’s arms for a moment, where they bracket his head, then --]_

**Nicky:** Let’s go. Andy. 

_[Nicky rolls to his side, grabs a nearby pistol. Joe turns and grabs a rifle from the floor, then stagger-runs past Nicky, who is up but also moving erratically; both men are feeling the effects of the fight.]_

**Joe:** Come on. Come on. Come on.

_[In the other lab, Nile is still holding off the guards from her door. She pulls back and checks her rifle.]_

**Nile:** Shit! Jammed!

_[She scrambles away from the door as Booker grabs a rifle from one of the downed guards and takes her position. Nile crouches next to an array of cylinders to clear her rifle, turns to Booker.]_

**Nile:** Where’s Andy?

1:40:20 minutes

_[Andy is striding purposefully down a hall, ax in hand. She pauses at a corner as she hears a radio.]_

**Guard on radio:** Hold at the bridge.

_[Andy looks around the corner, quickly pulls back. A lone guard is coming her way.]_

**Guard:** Roger that. 

**Andy:** _[whispers]_ Fuck.

_[Andy takes two deep breaths, firms her mouth, sets herself, and dashes around the corner, sprinting toward the guard. As he fires, she raises her ax sideways; we hear the bullet hit the metal head. Andy closes on the guard and uses the ax to knock his rifle out of his hand. As she swings back, the guard kicks; Andy cries out as it impacts her hand and the ax goes flying. The guard pulls a knife. As he swings at her, Andy, twists, grabs his right arm with her left, clamps it between her elbow and body, pulls him off-balance and uses the momentum of her twist to drag the guard into her strong right cross, then uses both hands to force his right hand down and slice the inside of his own thigh. Andy twists, raises his arm over her head as she turns under it then keeps raising the arm high behind his back, forcing him to bend forward into her right kick to his face. His helmet flies off, but he catches himself with his hands on the floor, then pushes upward, swinging his knife. The guard raises the knife high across his body and slashes downward to the right.]_

_[Andy evades to the left, her left arm knocks his right arm aside, punch-punch, ‘knife hand’ to his throat. He staggers back, goes to a fighting crouch with his knife raised. She waits as he comes in, coils her body, snaps out her left arm to knock his right aside, holds his right arm, twists it downward. A spring-loaded baton slides out from his gear, he grabs it with left hand. Andy spins in, strikes her right elbow to his chest, keeps moving to pull his right arm across her right shoulder, her two hands holding his sleeve, steps forward, comes back with a high left elbow to his face. With her back to him, Andy raises his right arm high, brings it down twists right to bring him forward with her left arm, grabs the baton (?). Andy turns in to him, both hands twist his right arm up and back. Andy goes to a knee as the pressure forces him down, jams the baton into his left knee.]_

_[Guard comes up, tries to grab baton with his left hand, Andy steps away and hits him twice across the face, leans back with a left kick to the chest as he staggers back. Andy runs forward, leaps high, plants her arms on his shoulders as she swings around, keeps going down, drops to floor on her back and uses the momentum to flip him over her head. He lands hard as she quickly rolls to her feet, stands gasping, holding her wound with her left hand. The guard seems unwilling or unable to continue the fight.]_

_[As Andy walks to look down at dazed guard, Booker and Nile join her from ‘her’ side of the bridge (screen right), while Joe and Nicky come from the other side (screen left).]_

**Andy:** Where’s Merrick?

_[The guard looks up. Five people stand directly over him, four of them armed; all look pissed-off and dangerous.]_

**Guard:** Penthouse. 

_[The team all look upward, planning their next move.]_

**Joe:** What do you think? Oslo, ‘sixty seven? 

**Andy:** São Paulo, ‘thirty-four. _[Andy extends her hand to Nile, who gives her the pistol she carries in her right hand; Nile holds another in her left.]_ Nile’s with me. 

**Nile:** What happened in São Paulo in nineteen thirty-four? 

**Andy:** Eighteen thirty-four. _[small grin, checks weapon.]_ You’ll see.

_[Andy and Nile head away (screen left) from ‘Andy’s corner’ at a medium trot; Joe, Nicky and Booker head toward ‘Andy’s corner’ (screen right).]_

1:41:35 minutes

_[Several guards face the door of the penthouse, rifles aimed. Merrick stands at the top of a short flight of stair to a higher level; he grips the labrys in both hands, waiting for the attack.]_

**Keane:** _[into radio]_ First team, hold the hall. First team. 

_[Keane joins several guards in an open area just inside the penthouse doors; it overlooks a lower level, with a plexiglass barrier along the edge.]_

_[Andy and Nile walk past dead guards’ bodies, take up position against a wall beside a door, check their weapons.]_

**Andy:** Wait for the signal. _[looks toward door.]_

**Nile:** _[follows her gaze.]_ This gonna be like the last signal? 

**Andy:** _[turns toward Nile, smiles.]_ Go big or go home. _[Turns back.]_

_[In the penthouse, guards are still ranged in front of the door, rifles up and ready.]_

**Merrick:** _[stands at top of interior stairs, holding labrys like he’s hoping to swing it.]_ Keane. Keane, how many more do we have coming?

**Keane:** This is it. _[takes center position, aims directly at door.]_ Dig in. 

_[Nile looks down, notices that Andy’s right hand has fresh blood where she’s been holding it against her wound, and the blood-stain on her shirt is increasing. She crouches, starts pulling velcro to remove the guard’s kevlar.]_

**Nile:** I’ll make the entry. Stay tight to me, okay? I’ll protect you. 

_[Andy crouches beside her, stops Nile’s actions with a hand on the guard’s vest. Nile looks into her face.]_

**Andy:** _[small head-shake, speaks quietly, with direct gaze.]_ I go through first. _[Nile huffs, rolls her head.]_ I always go first. 

**Nile:** _[through gritted teeth.]_ Andy, put on the damn armor. 

**Andy:** It’s like Nicky said. If it’s my time, it’s my time. _[Takes a spare magazine from the guard’s pocket.]_ If this doesn’t work out, next time, _[chin-lift]_ you go first. 

_[Nile stares, recognizes she won’t sway Andy. Stands, checks both directions of the hallway. Andy remains crouched, but also watching.]_

**Keane:** _[whispering, watching the door.]_ What the hell are they waiting for?

_[Gunfire breaks one of the plate glass windows that overlooks the city, just before Joe swings into the room on the end of a line. He tucks as he lands, rolls and comes up aiming his rifle.]_

**Keane:** Shit!

_[Joe shoots one of the guards, then takes cover behind a wooden horizontal file cabinet (?). The guards turn to fire at him just as the door explodes inward.]_

_[The blast knocks several guards to the floor, but Keane heads immediately toward Joe. As soon as he’s in range, Joe -- still on the floor -- sweeps Keene’s legs with his right leg and kicks him violently as he falls forward.]_

_[Guards running through the penthouse, Andy appears around the doorframe, shoots one, ducks back to avoid return fire. Nile appears, shoots another, ducks back. Guards shooting, shouting, falling. Nile shoots a guard ducking for cover, then dashes forward with pistol extended, Andy behind her. Nile jumps over a downed guard; they advance to positions against the wall on either side of a short hallway. A guard is shooting at them from cover beyond, but can’t get a good angle.]_

_[Meanwhile, Joe is beating Keane to a pulp. Hard right under the ribs, left cross to the face. Another left to the face; Joe’s teeth are bared in a snarl, and Keane is flailing. He throws a wild left punch that Joe easily ducks, then comes up with another right cross to Keane’s face.]_

_[The guard shooting at Andy and Nile has a jammed rifle. As he drops it and reaches for another weapon, Andy rises, steps around the corner and shoots him left-handed; her right is clutching her wound. Nile follow her, covering her right flank, but there’s no one left to shoot. Andy looks up and Nile turns to watch Joe beating up on Keane.]_

_[Keane is dazed, barely able to stay on his feet. Joe steps up right in front of him, holds him in place with a hand at the top of his vest, speaks in a calm reasonable voice.]_

**Joe:** You shot Nicky. You shouldn’t have done that.

_[In one sudden movement Joe twists, digs his right shoulder into Keane’s chest, grabs his right arm, drops to his right knee while throwing Keane over his shoulder, throws him down so that his head hits the floor first. The snap of his neck breaking is audible. Joe finishes on both knees, left hand on the floor for support, panting heavily.]_

_[Booker, followed by Nicky, enter another part of the penthouse (?), weapons aimed, clearing hall and staircase.]_

_[The effects of the battle hit Andy suddenly; she lets her pistol fall from her left hand, holds her right hand over her wound, staggers forward to clutch for support at the plexiglass barrier at the edge of the lower level. Nile follows, stoops to discard her pistol and take another from one of the guards.]_

**Nicky:** _[shouts from the lower level.]_ The elevator is going down! Merrick is getting away! 

_[Joe rises in response, starts forward.]_

**Nile:** Go! _[Joe grabs a rifle from the floor, heads out.]_ I’ll stay with Andy. _[Andy looks down at Booker, on guard on the lower level. It seems that he’d rather stay to protect her, but accepts her silent command with a short nod, turns to follow Nicky and Joe. Andy pushes away from the plexiglass, crosses the room to look down at the street through the giant hole where the window used to be. For support, she holds onto one of the vertical frames with her left hand, while her right still covers her wound. She’s breathing heavily. Nile has a small frown, concerned.]_ You okay?

**Andy:** _[blows out a breath.]_ Yeah, I’m fine. _[sniffs, licks her lips.]_ It just hurts. _[Lifts her head, twists her neck left and right with audible cracking, raises her left hand behind her head, drops it. Turns toward Nile with a small smile.]_ Actually, everything hurts.

**Nile:** Well, wait until tomorrow. _[Moves in front of Andy, near the vertical frame to Andy’s right.]_

**Andy:** _[smiles, chuckles softly]_ Can’t wait.

_[Nile smiles at her, then frowns as she looks Andy over, the large and small damages to her body that will now heal slowly, with after-effects that may linger.]_

**Andy:** _[watches Nile’s reaction, quietly, with chin-lift.]_ I think you showed up when I lost my immortality. _[licks lips]_ So I could see what it was like. So I could remember.

**Nile:** Remember?

**Andy:** Remember what it... what it was like to feel unbreakable. _[smiles, laughs gently as she shakes her head.]_ Remarkable. _[Gives Nile a long, level -- compassionate -- gaze.]_ You reminded me there are people... still worth fighting for. _[Nile takes a deep breath as Andy gazes up and out, shakes her head and laughs gently again.]_ I know how I want to spend the time I’ve got left.

**Nile:** _[quietly, gently but firmly.]_ You’re gonna spend it with us, Andy. _[Andy smiles at her, just as gently.]_

**Merrick:** You selfish little bitch! _[Nile spins, bringing her weapon to bear as soon as they hear Merrick’s voice, but he has a pistol aimed at Andy, with his finger poised on the trigger.]_ I will kill her! _[He slowly advances into the room from the stairs above, pistol in his right hand, Andy’s labrys dangling in his left hand. Andy’s face is cold and calculating as she watches him. Merrick walks closer, ignores Nile as he passes in front of her, focused only on Andy. Nile watches Andy from the corner of her eye, waiting for a signal, keeping her pistol aimed at Merrick.]_ All the lives you could save. Don’t you see what we could do here? You are priceless. 

**Andy:** _[quietly, calmly]_ Hey, Nile. _[Nile turns her head a fraction of an inch toward Andy, then back to Merrick, still keeping her aim on him, waiting for a chance. Andy has a glint in her eye.]_ Do you think he speaks Russian?

_[Nile flicks her eyes to Andy, back to Merrick, evaluates, then whips around and shoots in Andy’s direction. Andy drops as Merrick turns and shoots Nile, who falls against the window frame. Andy rolls toward Merrick, grabs her labrys from his hand, rises, spins as she raises the labrys high, sinks it into his left shoulder beside his neck.]_

_[Merrick cries out and starts to bring his gun to bear on Andy. Nile desperately pushes herself up from the floor, flings herself between Merrick and Andy just as he fires, slaps his gun hand down and launches herself at him, arms around his body. The momentum carries them out the broken window, both screaming as they hurtle toward the ground, 20(?) stories below.]_

**Nile:** Shiiiiiiiiiiiit! 

_[Just before impact, Nile curls her body, trying to use Merrick to absorb the impact. They land on the roof of a car, which collapses under the impact, and disappear inside.]_

**Andy:** _[quietly, looking down.]_ Play dead, motherfucker. _[Turns to leave.]_

1:46:25 minutes

_[Interior of car, view of the rear seat. One of Nile’s boots is propped against the backrest; the leg inside is obviously broken and misaligned. We hear air hissing from the exploded airbag (?).]_

_[Nicky runs from nearby door, followed by Booker. Nicky stops beside car, looks down. Nile’s body is lying on the back seat, broken and twisted, the fingers of her extended left hand twisted and bent at impossible angles.]_

**Nicky:** Nile? _[Nicky looks through the side window at her. Booker also looks in, turns to look up the height of the building, back in the window.]_ Hey. _[Nile begins breathing, then groans, eyes closing in pain, as bones audibly crackle and her body starts twisting back into alignment.]_ She’s okay. _[Nile brings her left hand forward, stares as the fingers visibly reposition themselves.]_

_[Joe has come from the building, stands behind Nicky and Booker, also looking down at Nile. Booker grabs the handle, tries to pull the car door open, but the displacement of the frame has wedged it into place; Nicky grabs the doorframe to help pull, and the door finally opens.]_

**Booker:** Come on. _[He leans in to the car.]_

**Joe:** _[gazes up the height of the building.]_ Faster than the elevator.

_[Nile grunts, groans, and gasps as she starts maneuvering herself out of the car.]_

**Nicky:** It’s okay, Nile. 

**Nile:** _[pauses, sits at edge of seat next to open door, jerks head in emphasis. Speaks softly but fervently.]_ Ow!

**Booker:** Give me your hand.

_[Nile reaches out with her healed left hand, grabs the handle of Andy’s labrys, then starts to slide out.]_

_[Andy has exited the building, walks calmly toward the group. As Nile steps from the car, Booker pulls her right arm over his shoulders to help her stand; Nicky also helps with his hand under her left arm. They all pause as Andy stops in front of them. Despite the blood on her face, Nile seems calm, composed. Andy gives a tiny nod as her eyes flick over Nile, adds a tiny smile, then waits, calmly watching.]_

_[Nile huffs and stands straighter as Booker and Nicky let go her arms. She holds the labrys out to Andy, who takes it. Andy’s eyes relax as she continues to watch Nile, then her smile grows broad as she extends her right hand to clasp Nile at the nape of her neck, then claps her on the shoulder and puts her arm around Nile's back as they walk. Nicky reaches out to touch Andy’s back before he turns toward their silver Audi, waiting directly behind the car that Nile fell into.]_

**Booker:** Let’s go. 

“Silence” by Marshmello ft. Khalid begins playing  
Yeah, I’d rather be a lover than a fighter, fighter,  
‘Cause all my life, I’ve been fighting.  
Never felt a feeling of comfort, oh  
And all this time, I’ve been hiding, hiding.  
And I never had someone to call my own, oh no,  
I’m so used to sharing, sharing.  
Love only left me alone,  
But I’m at one with the silence.

I found peace in your violence  
Can’t show me there's no point in trying  
I'm at one, and I’ve been silent for so long.  
I’ve been quiet for so long.  
I’ve been quiet for so long.  
I’m at one, and I've been quiet for so long.

_[Booker opens the boot as Nicky opens the right rear door and slides in. Andy puts her labrys in the boot as Nile continues around the rear of the car, then comes forward. Andy gets into the driver’s seat (right) as Booker gets in the back seat behind her. Nile opens the rear passenger door (left) then pauses, gazing up at the height from which she fell. Her mouth firms as her eyes drop to the ruined car in front of the Audi. She takes a visible breath, then slides into the car.]_

_[Assumption -- We haven’t seen Joe since Andy walked up. (I’ve checked three times.) I’m guessing he went to the car earlier, sat in the front passenger (left) seat. When Nicky got in from the right, he slid into the middle position, then Booker sat next to him on the right side -- which has Nile at Nicky’s left side.]_

_[Andy drives the car away. Behind them a crowd gathers around the ruined car as police cars speed to the scene, sirens wailing.]_

1:48:10 minutes

_[Looking over the Thames, a view of older buildings along the water-front, with newer, high-rise buildings behind. Camera pans in to a very old, very small (compared to the building next to it), white, three-story building with ground-floor and first-floor balconies overlooking the water. Booker leans on the railing of the ground-floor balcony.]_  
_[The building is a pub. The sign inside reads:]_

The flagstone floor of this  
bar has been trodden by the  
widest variety of patrons  
over 500 years.

Pewter-top bars were  
commonplace in the 19th Century,  
but this is one of the few that  
has survived 20th Century  
‘modernisation’ and is thought  
to be the longest in  
Great Britain.

_[Andy, Nicky, Joe, and Nile sit at a table against the wall, next to a window, talking; Nicky leans into the discussion as Joe gestures vehemently and Andy looks thoughtful. Booker is visible through the window, looking out over the water, holding a glass of whiskey. Joe turns away from the discussion as Nicky turns to Andy. Nile looks out at Booker’s bowed head, watches as he lifts his glass to drink.]_

**Booker:** _[turns head as Nile approaches.]_ How’s it going?

**Nile:** _[stands beside him, back to the river, looking into the pub.]_ They’re still deciding. _[Leans back against the railing.]_

**Booker:** _[looks at her, turns and leans against the railing next to her.]_ There’s not much to decide. It’s not like they can kill me.

_[View into pub window; Joe has turned his head, is watching them, chin resting on hand, a moderate scowl on his face.]_

**Booker:** _[holds Joe’s gaze for a moment, then looks down. Nile is turning her phone in her hands.]_ Oh, she gave it back?

**Nile:** Yeah. _[takes a breath.]_ Talked to Copley. Said he could fix it. Make it look like I was killed in action. _[nods gently to herself]_ My family will mourn, but, uh... _[tiny shrug, head-shake.]_ ...they’ll be able to move on. It’s just like what we did with my dad. _[sighs. Turns to look out over the water. Voice wavers.]_ I just really want to hear my mom’s voice one more time.

**Booker:** _[looks down, pauses, turns to lean next to Nile.]_ You’re a good kid, Nile. _[looks at her, speaks earnestly.]_ You’re gonna be great for the team.

_[View in pub window. Andy is watching them, face calm, but a teeny frown-wrinkle between her eyes.]_

_[Camera pans out. Booker is on the ground, looking out over the water. Andy comes down the steps from the pub. She walks over, stands to his left, speaks without looking at him.]_

**Andy:** There’s gotta be a price. _[Booker nods, very slightly. Andy closes her eyes; she looks like it hurts.]_ One hundred years from today, they’ll meet you here. _[Nods slightly, turns head to look at him.]_ Till then, you’re alone.

**Booker:** _[pauses, blinks, takes a breath.]_ I hoped for less, but... _[swallows, nods, flicks eyes in her direction.]_ I expected more.

**Andy:** Nile was gonna let you off with an apology.

_[Booker snorts a laugh as he smiles. Andy smiles and chuckles.]_

**Booker:** _[fond head-shake, still smiling.]_ Just give her some time. 

**Andy:** _[looks out over the water, her face sad, then turns to him.]_ I’m gonna miss you. 

_[Booker glances at her, away, nods slightly, glances back, turns and draws her into a desperate hug. Andy clings tightly as he lays his chin on her shoulder and she leans into the side of his neck, check-to-cheek. His right hand comes up to cup the back of her head, then slides down to the nape of her neck before he lets her go.]_

**Booker:** _[breathes, looks into her eyes, tiny head-shake, eyes shift away, back to her.]_ Um... I won’t see you again.

**Andy:** _[inhales, tiny chin-lift, reaches out to grab his left upper arm, gives it a little shake.]_ Have a little faith, Book.

_[Booker watches Andy walk away. Nile, Joe, and Nicky are waiting for her on the pub’s stairs. As she reaches them they turn and start up, Nicky first, then Nile. Joe puts a gentle hand to her back as he lets Andy go after Nile, then follows. As he walks, he turns to look over his shoulder. Booker is watching them go. He nods to Joe’s look, takes a deep breath and turns away.]_

“Cruel World” by Active Child begins playing  
I dedicate my life  
To something richer  
And all the things that come  
‘Cause that’s no price at all  
And I know you’ll be there  
And I want you to know I care because  
Keep your head up Hold your head up  
Even though it’s a cruel world  
Count your blessings  
You won’t need them when you’re gone  
It’s a cruel world  
You can’t see it  
You can’t see it  
Even though it’s a cruel world... 

1:52:03 minutes

_[Nicky, Andy, and Joe are ranged in front of Copley’s bulletin board-wall, examining all the information. Nile sits/leans against the back of a chair behind them. Copley stands farther back, allowing them space.]_

_[Picture of Joe and Nicky in plaid shirts, rescuing a young man; post-it reads ‘Joe & Nicky 1968’. A college I.D card, 1992-93, signed N. Smith, with Nicky’s face. Nicky gazes at these artifacts, expressionless.]_

_[A picture of men in local clothing, two heads circled; post-it reads, ‘Crimean War 1953 Joe & Nicky?’. Picture of five men resting, all holding rifles; post-it reads, ‘Umba Revolution, 1956-1957, Booker, Nicky, & Joe’. Copy of I.D card with Joe’s face, with the name Joseph Jones, Deutsch, from Frankfurt. Joe looks stunned at the amount of information collected.]_

**Copley:** _[quietly]_ This is only what I’ve found going back the last hundred and fifty years or so.  
_[Picture of one of Martin Luther King’s speeches; the enlarged view of a woman with sunglasses and long blonde hair looks like Andy; the two men nearby could be Nicky and Joe. Newsclip title ‘Taste of Freedom’, picture of Andy reaching down to help someone up; post-it reads, ‘Andy Berlin ‘89’. Picture of woman squatting with very young child on her knee, offering food to the child, connected with red line to picture of woman aviator pioneer; post-it reads ‘Saved by Andy, 1918’. Andy quietly views the displayed information.]_ When you think about how old you are, the good you’ve done for humanity becomes... exponential.

**Nile:** _[softly]_ Maybe this is the why, Andy.

_[Andy looks toward Nicky, who gives her a tiny smile, and Joe, who drops his eyes and bows his head.]_

**Andy:** _[speaks without looking at Copley.]_ It’s nearly impossible to disappear in the world we live in today. There are too many people like you _[quick glance toward him]_ who can bend it to your will. Too many with bad intentions. _[takes a measured breath]_ We don’t have all the answers, but we do have purpose. _[She turns and looks directly at him.]_ And you’re going to help us. _[Andy prowls toward Copley, one deliberate step after another. Nile, Nicky, and Joe come forward to range behind her, presenting a united front. Her voice is soft, but firm and commanding.]_ When we leave a footprint in the sand, in the snow, in the ether, you’re going to sweep it. You’re going to protect us from those who want to put us in cages, and you’re gonna help us find those jobs... that are best suited to us.

**Joe:** _[flatly, warning]_ She’s not asking.

**Copley:** _[recognizes warning, nods slightly, eyes steady]_ I’d be honored.

**Andy:** _[nods]_ Then let’s go to work. _[She turns to gaze over her team, smiling, turns back to Copley, still smiling, but with an unswerving assurance.]_

1:53:45 minutes

THE OLD GUARD shows on screen, white letters on black.

SIX MONTHS LATER shows on screen, over the sound of sirens wailing. Aerial view of apartment (?) buildings, with Eifel Tower in the distance. PARIS shows on screen. 

_[View of Booker’s back as he approaches a door; an almost-empty bottle of whiskey dangles loosely from his right hand. As he steps inside the door, the bottle drops and shatters. He curses in French and kicks/sweeps the glass aside with his foot. Walks a few steps forward to a staircase, turns and sits on the second step, head bowed. Pauses, takes a deep breath, stands and turns to a door at his left, keys in hand. He pushes open the door and steps into the space, pistol extended and aimed.]_

_[A female figure in a red coat is pouring water from a glass bottle into a drinking glass. She doesn’t flinch or react at Booker’s sudden entrance. When the glass is half-full, she sets the bottle aside.]_

**Woman:** Booker. _[He continues into the room, keeping his pistol aimed.]_ It’s nice to finally meet you.

_[As she raises her glass to drink, we see that it’s Quynh. She lowers her glass and watches Booker calmly, while he maintains a steady aim at her from across the room.]_

1:54:50 minutes

End credits roll over views of Copley’s bulletin board and the collected information. (Listed below lyrics.)

“Baby Outlaw” by Elle King begins playing 

I’ve been runnin’ since the day I was born  
I’m the definition of worn  
Shed a tear for each soul set free  
But that’s what happens when you dance with me  
Pity the man that stands in my way  
I’m a nightmare, even in the day  
I’d be wise with which words you say  
‘Cause they could be the last breath you take  
Go ahead, baby, tell me

Well I ain’t nobody’s baby  
Baby, I’m an outlaw  
Call me a criminal maybe  
Baby, I’m an outlaw  
You know I ain’t evil but I ain’t a saint  
Can’t help it, I was born this way  
Oh baby, outlaw  
Ooh baby, I’m an outlaw

I was cornered in the desert by a man  
He took the pistol right from my hand  
As he put it to my temple, I asked  
“Do you think it’s gonna be that simple?  
See, I got a bullet for a tooth and  
I’m gonna use it to shoot you.”  
Even though you got a gun to my head  
You’ll be the one that ends up dead  
Go ahead, baby, tell me

Well I ain’t nobody’s baby  
Baby, I’m an outlaw  
Call me a criminal maybe  
Baby, I’m an outlaw  
You know I ain’t evil but I ain’t a saint  
Can’t help it, I was born this way  
Yeah, baby, outlaw  
Ooh baby, I’m an outlaw

You know I ain’t evil but I ain’t a saint  
Can’t help it, I was born this way  
Yeah, baby, outlaw  
Little baby, outlaw

Picture of mosaic (?) woman with labrys swinging at armored Roman (?) soldier.

Front of a theatre playbill (?) reads: ANDROMAQVE and TRAGEDIE. 

A xerox-enlarged copy of a bordered circle with woman’s head inside and ‘ANDROMACHA’ and ‘HETC.VX’ along the circle’s border -- an ancient coin(?). 

List of changes in spelling of Andromache’s name through the ages, Greek (?) lettering. 

Section of ancient world map with area of Scythia circled. 

Article -- Archaeologists Discover Evidence of Crusader Siege of 1099 Post-it reads: Nicky & Joe

The First Crusade Christians VS Muslims The Accounts of Eye-Witnesses and Participants. 1099 written in red. 

Illustration of Christian and Muslim knights fighting each other on horseback

Illustration two men on horseback labeled The 6th Crusade 1228

News clipping: A Stash of Napoleon-Era Gold Coins Found by Metal Detectors. Forgery? scrawled in red under headline. 

Clipping -- The Napoleonic Wars 1812 Moscow Burns During the Russian Campaign -- with illustration of soldier drinking, labeled Booker? 

Woman in clothing that looks like northern civil war uniform on top, skirt on bottom, sword at her hip. 

Picture of soldiers at rest, labeled Crimean War 1853.

The Haitian Revolution Centennial Celebration 1804 - 1904 Red string connects to a fuzzy picture with a figure circled and ? next to it. Post-it reads: Prevented a Coup d’État in 1904?

Headline of article: Newly Discovered Photographs Reveal The Horrors Of The Civil War. Subheading: The photos bring new insight into the lives of civil war soldiers and officers. Attached is picture of soldiers in front of tent -- Nicky, Joe, Andy are recognizable; Andy in uniform, Nicky and Joe not, look rougher -- maybe scouts? 

Pic of WWI soldiers. (I don’t recognize the faces.)

Bearded soldier (Joe?) (WWI? Earlier?) escorting 2 little girls to safety; youngest is circled Circle connected to pic with heading: Youngest Laureate for Nobel Prize in Medicine. Subheading: Marie-Helene Varte will “continue my efforts in the great cause of ending the pain and suffering that diseases such as polio cause in children.”

Group of men and sandbags (?) French Resistance, face circled at edge of picture, could be Nicky.

Picture labeled: French Resistance 1944 shows three people, the woman might be Andy.

Picture of WWII soldiers marching, labeled: World War II 1939-1945. One man circled, ‘Nicky’ written beside it. 

Picture of Joe in miner’s clothing (?) carrying man over his shoulder.

Nicky on knee, Red Cross patch on his sleeve, tending to/helping little boy circled in red. Circle and line leads to copy of article: French Scientist to get Institut Pasteur Medal For Pioneering Work With DNA.

Picture of article titled: Mystery Saviors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Joe with a group of children. One circled leads article titled: Young Hip Hop Activist is Changing the DRC.

Pictures of bomb blasts labeled: Hiroshima Aug 6. Nagasaki Aug 9. What was next??? String leads to “Memorandum to Chief of Staff. The next bomb of the implosion . . . scheduled to be ready for delivery . . . Red letters scrawled at the top -- Did They Stop It?

Picture of protests, signs read: End Segregated Rules in Public Schools and Voting Rights Now. Man’s face circled in crowd, Nicky! written in red.

Picture labeled: Operation Babylift 1975. Andy is helping a little boy, circled. Connected to headline: Angel Investor Helps Amputee Children in Asia. 

Headline: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Picture of Red Cross workers. (I don’t recognize any faces.) 

Computer monitor shows scenes from Merrick’s lab facilities, including Nile dead in hall and Nile coming around a corner with a rifle and the labrys case. The cursor clicks on that one, ticky-box asks Permanently Erase This Item? Cursor clicks Erase.

  
**The End**

I have posted other versions of The Old Guard movie transcript in my Dreamwidth fic-journal. You can access links to several different font size-combinations for (hopefully!) easier reading in [the Old Guard Master Post](https://starwatcher-fic.dreamwidth.org/32554.html)

**Netflix Disclaimer:** This transcript is for educational use only. Not to be sold or auctioned.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m just a wee bit obsessed by The Old Guard movie; I want to remember All The Words, as well as facial expressions, actions, reactions, and be able to refer back to them. My reading memory is better than my visual memory, so I looked for a transcript. [ Netflix very helpfully provides a transcript](https://8flix.com/assets/transcripts/theoldguard/The-Old-Guard-2020-movie-transcription-script.pdf), but it includes only dialogue and time-stamps -- none of the information I really want. No problem; I’m an honorary daughter of ‘The Little Red Hen’; I decided to do it myself. And now that I have, I share it with fandom. Maybe someone else will find it useful for writing fic, or just to satisfy their inner obsessive fan-girl. (Yes, guilty!) 
> 
> As I watched the movie and added descriptions around the Netflix-provided dialogue which I had pasted into Word, I drew heavily on my theater background -- one of my two college minors, plus several years on stage and behind the scenes at our local community theater -- which tells me that every movement and facial expression is important. I tried to describe those accurately, but [a] I’m shit at facial expressions and [b] I know little of fighting, and had difficulty following the action. If you see something that I missed, or if you think I interpreted a movement or action inaccurately -- please let me know. Honest; I’m serious about this! I don’t bite, and I really, truly want this transcript to be as accurate as possible; I appreciate any help you care to offer. Even if it’s just a typo, or a mistake in formatting, sing out! Hell, when I beta’d it, I found two places where I called Booker, ‘Nile’. I don’t even know.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Old Guard Rarepair Guidebook: A quintet of Shipping Manifestos](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27881458) by [LightDescending](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightDescending/pseuds/LightDescending)




End file.
